Run, Brit, Run

I did it. I drug my ass to the gym at 2330 to get some biking in. Even though every movement these days is done quite begrudgingly, I have to stop to celebrate my victories too. Today my goal was to surpass my last bike of 4.18 miles. I did that. So I set a new goal of reaching 5 miles, my last goal. I did that. So I kept going.  Tonight I did a total of 7.46 miles in 33 minutes and 12 seconds. It is not fast, BUT I crushed TWO goals and did over 30 minutes of straight cardio. I’m proud of myself. I am moving forward. 

I’m trying my hardest to get back into the swing of things. Come to find out my issues with my back are from a mild Degeneratve Joint Disorder. It’s okay though, I still have this. I got on a stationary bike the other day and did 4.18 miles before my hip decided it had enough.   Tonight I will do more even if it kills me. 

My back is not getting any better. While I would love to run and hit it hardcore, I feel like it would be dangerous to do so until I have some answer to the severity of my injury. For now I’m staying focused by reading and researching. Tomorrow I have a date with the gym after work to try the stationary bike.  Current read: Triathlon for the Every Woman by Meredith Atwood. So far fantastic. Super valuable information. My fiancé says she knows her stuff. Love it so far.  Here’s the thing. I can sit back and let my injury consume me or I can keep working toward my goals in other ways. I refuse to give up. 

I have been battling an incisional hernia on my belly button. I had an open wound (that will not heal) already from a cyst removal right beside it. Yes. A cyst and a hernia became best friends and have been quite the pain since.  The next day after my first run. I started having some pain that increased to the point of being in the emergency room. Long story short, no more running until after I’m cleared post surgery. I did do a bit of a swim yesterday. But tomorrow I start a primarily liquid diet to keep from getting what they think I had again.  I will be doing two meals of Shakeology and one of solid food each day.  Next, I am having unbelievable back pain and will seea doctor about that this week. It didn’t bother me during my run. But is increasingly getting worse.  On top of everything else, I have ADHD and I forget things all of the time. Part of this is for me to see if I canmanage my symptoms better. 

I didn’t expect my first day to be a breeze. Especially since I’m battling knee and hip issues alongside a new back issue. I’m internally 80. It’s fine. It was not good.   I decided to start with 15 minutes and plan to increase my time by 5 minutes per day. I am so so out of shape, but I don’t want this experience to pass me by and not remember my struggles along with my successes. While I had way more fails here than successes. My key takeaway is seeing my best pace at 12:57/mi, I still have my athleticism somewhere inside of me. I am not thin, that’s damn good for a former runner riddled with injury. Through parts of my run, my injuries started to come out to play. I found myself struggling to get my legs to move properly, an issue I’ve never encountered before. I was trying to protect myself and propel myself forward all at once. I wouldn’t want to see a video of it. Maybe eventually I would find it funny, okay. It’s a little funny now. Only up from here.

I was supporting my fiancé, a lovely and wonderful man named Ryan, at the Ironman Canada half. While there, I fell in love with the sport and the community that surrounds it. Competitive, but respectful and kind. I have to admit, I thought the whole thing was bananas to begin with. I volunteered simply to be able to be with Ryan more throughout his race. Doing this afforded me the opportunity to give him his medal at the end. I was so proud to see him cross that finish line. Admittedly I think I was more tired at that point than he was. My mom had mentioned she had a friend who had written a book about becoming a triathlete. “Triathlon for every woman” was a book that has, only 22 pages in, changed my outlook on athleticism. Meredith Atwood is me. Her with her “fat stranger”. She discusses the decision to become a triathlete. And making the decision to do so is step 1. I decided. I’m in. Further, Ryan pointed out to me that there is a half IM in Augusta. That’s it. I was sold. I...