Wednesday 12 January 2011

Why the 'Wannabe Runner'?

Why the wannabe, what's stopping you, you ask yourselves. I do love running - the sense of freedom, the low entry cost, the simplicity of it, but sadly running no longer loves me...

Almost exactly two years ago, my body unilaterally decided that it didn't want to run anymore and, realising that my exercise junkie brain would never give in, it snuck up behind me and administered what can only be described as a huge kick in the ass - at least that's what it felt like.

One of my discs, weakened by 10 years of competitive rowing, and made considerably worse by regular poundings during 7 mile training runs had admitted defeat...Don't mind those dramatisations of someone clutching their lower back - a real slipped disc can be, quite literally, a pain in the butt.

That resulted in a series of MRI scans, cortisone injections and ultimately an operation. I finally felt better, after 9 months of pain and immobility. Better enough 6 months after the op to start walking 10,000 steps a day, 4 months of that and I felt great.

Now that I was fit, I could start running again - right?

Nah...

One short session later my body crept up on me again to teach me another lesson, a second disc 'went' and I was back where I started. So here I am, 5 more months of pain and immobility, more cortisone injections and scans, and the possibility of another op, and yet I would still really love to go for a run....



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

2 comments:

  1. See what happens for "liking" to run? Absolutely
    confirms my bias against such a demented way to spend your time. :) Not really, but it is hard on joints for sure and I really don't like to run, so any excuse I can find and latch on to!

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  2. You are absolutely right Daria, 10,000 (walking) steps a day is far more sensible, and more useful too - see http://dwmum.blogspot.com/2010/10/walking-and-thinking-or-not.html

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