Back At It

I've always wanted to be a runner. That sounds like a crazy statement, but, it's true. People can't fly, but, they can run. To me, running has always seemed so freeing. Pounding the pavement/treadmill, going as fast and far as you wanted to go. I wanted to do that.

Running takes work, especially if you want to enjoy it, so, I decided I was going to work at it and turn myself into a runner. I downloaded the app and started the C25k program. I bought a pair of legit running shoes and was in love with them. I was running and lifting three days a week, swimming most days, going to yoga and kickboxing when I didn't work evenings - I was feeling great.

Then, the horrendous pain in my leg started. I tried running walking it off the best I could, but, I couldn't even get through one C25k running cycle without wanting to puke and/or cry from the pain.

My feet were also hurting a lot, but, I ignored it, clearly longer than I should have. The intermittent aching of my feet turned into awful pain in the morning, wicked uncomfortableness when I'd get up after sitting for any length of time, and a general feeling of miserableness from basically the knee down.

After seeing my friendly local podiatrist, I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and small heel spurs. After receiving cortisone shots in my feet (YUCK!), he told me I had to stop all high-impact activities, including running and kickboxing, until "we got this under control."

I was crushed. I had made noticeable progress with my running, was swimming longer and faster, and wasn't ready to collapse by the end of kickboxing. Now, I had to give most of that up.

I kept swimming for a week or so after I was told to stop the high-impact stuff, then, the excuses started.

I only feel like running today. I'm not allowed to run. WAAAH. I'm skipping the gym today, because, I know I'll feel like working out tomorrow and I know I need a break.

My feet and legs hurt. I need to take it easy today.

I didn't sleep well last night. If I wake up at 6:15 to go swimming, I'll be so tired the rest of the day, and, that's not good for productivity.

My stomach hurts. Going swimming will make me feel worse.

I worked late last night, so, I'm not waking up at 6:15 because I deserve to sleep in a little.

I could go on and on. So much bullshit. I let self-pity and excuses keep me from keeping up with the workout routine I had started and and was loving.

Now, I'm back at it. I had, what should be, my last round of cortisone shots last week, I started C25k over and ran today without pain. I also got a nice lift in. I plan on going swimming tomorrow afternoon.

This is a cathartic confession for me. By putting all of this out there, I'm holding myself accountable for my own excuse-making and laziness. I could tell today that I haven't been working out regularly and I had lost some of the progress I had made. That makes me so angry at myself. I don't want to do that again.

I know that I won't feel like working out every day, that it will be easier to stay in bed when my alarm goes off at 6:15, but, I also know how fantastic I feel after spending some solid time at the gym. I can't get that feeling anywhere else.

To keep myself motivated, I've registered for my first-ever 5k. I'll be running the 5k portion of the 2013 Pittsburgh marathon for the Mario Lemieux Foundation.

I am beyond excited to be training for the 5k. It's not until May, so, I have more than enough time to build up to 3.1 miles at a comfortable pace without overdoing it and putting too much pressure on my legs/feet. So ready for this new challenge.

Things I Believe

First of all, I want to thank my wonderful friend, Alexis, for making my blog header for me. I've been putting off the blog thing for a long time because I didn't have a header and didn't know how to go about making one.

My first post is inspired by one recently done by one of my favorite bloggers, Kym, over at Travel Babbles.

From the time we are little, we all have things we believe in. I used to believe that my middle brother, Ryan, was put on this early solely to make my life miserable, and, that Satan was going to come up through my mattress and take me to Hell.

I no longer believe that I'm going to Hell through my mattress, or, at all (okay, maybe some days I feel like I might be), and I don't always believe my brother was put on this earth only to make me miserable.

You can learn a lot about a person based on their beliefs. I also think you can learn even more about a person based on how they treat people with differing beliefs. Our world would be a much better place if we learned to respect each other's differing beliefs and worked together on our commonalities, rather than instantly saying anyone who disagrees with us is wrong. As I get older, I try harder and harder to really see the points of view of others, understand where they are coming from, and learn what makes them tick. I love discussing differing beliefs with people who are respectful and open-minded.

In no particular order, here are my beliefs: -I believe you should always say "please" and "thank you," no exceptions. -I believe moods are infections, both good and bad. -I believe that sometimes all you really need to feel better is a big, fat cry.* -I believe in a woman's right to choose. -I believe that Italian food always tastes better the next day. -I believe in being kind whenever possible. -I believe that a good, "soul-cleansing" workout can change the course of your day. -I believe I do my best thinking in the shower. -I believe that a fresh manicure will always make me feel better. -I believe the key to happiness is appreciating the little things in life. -I believe that celebrating Valentine's Day is about being thankful for all of the love in your life, and not just about being in a relationship. -I believe that a person should be able to marry whomever they want. -I believe it's important to do things by yourself to truly learn who you are. -I believe you choose how adversity affects your life. -I believe you must love yourself before you can truly love another person. -I believe that music is crucial to my survival. -I believe that you need to rid your life of negativity, even if it's painful to do so. -I believe in the power of prayer. -I believe in doing and giving more than people expect. -I believe it's important to acknowledge that you don't like everyone and not everyone will like you. * = borrowed from Kym
I love the concept of this post. I've listed 20 things I believe, but, I know there's lots more that will probably make it into a future post.

What do you believe?