While training for the Akron half, my knees would bother me here and there...some days worse than others. I strength trained my quads, as I was told would help, and I taped my knees to help keep my patellas (kneecaps) in place. I made it through race day with no knee pain. I was on cloud nine.
I decided to give my legs a break and so I took a month off. After that month, I started running again in November, and my knees hurt - bad. I took a week off and tried again. More pain. Then, in December, I hurt my neck working out at CrossFit, and I knew there was no running in my near future.
My neck is doing much better thanks to my amazing chiropractor. He is really annoyed and concerned about my posture, so I'm working on that, too. But now, he's helping me attack my knee problems. He's given me great exercises to help strengthen a part of my quads I didn't know I was ignoring, and he's doing therapy on my knees once a week. Still no running yet, but I'm hoping to hit the pavement this weekend with the help of some good knee braces.
I was telling someone about this recently, and they asked, "why put yourself through this?"
Why indeed?
- Because when I'm on the road, it's my time - to think, to get away, to escape, to be myself, to recharge.
- Because I feel so accomplished when I'm done - I can SEE how far I've gone.
- Because running has gotten into my blood, and is a part of me. I'm sad to think I've lived this long without it. I'm scared to think it will never be the same.
- Because I love it.
That's all you need to know. You don't have to understand. You don't have to agree with me, but if you're reading this, please either choose to cheer me on, or just sit quietly and let me go by.
I will run a half marathon again.
I will run a full marathon some day.
Not today.
Not tomorrow.
But I will.
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