It has been a struggle, but I am getting back on my feet again. The stress fracture has healed up, now I just need to keep working through the plantar fasciitis. I have made lots of adjustments with my shoes, my inserts, my stretching, my training…all with the goal of getting back on my feet again to be able to do what I want. I am not there yet, but am getting closer. I am running between 2-3 miles a day most days of the week, and still adding in biking and swimming, as well as strength training. I just have to adjust the strength training to accommodate for my feet as well. Here I was this AM with Sarah, out running in the wind chill of -20! Running outside in this cold is still better than not running at all! I finally get to participate in what I like doing again!
Until you get hurt, you don’t realize just how important your feet are. You feel it with every step you make, regardless of what you are doing. We all need to do a better job of taking care of our feet. It is the only ones we are going to get!
I have mentioned on earlier blogs that the pool and I have gotten very well acquainted. I have come a long ways in improvement of my swimming, but I still have a long ways to go. I am still working on drills to help hone in on my timing, my breathing, the overall stroke. It is very difficult to get down. Getting hurt and not being able to run was the only way I was going to get going on the swimming. Now I just have to keep it going. It will definitely help my overall running, and fitness. I never knew how difficult swimming really is. I have a whole new appreciation of this sport, and the people who do this sport. It is work!
I have also started this month running inside for majority of my runs just so I don’t have to deal as often with the snow and ice, and slipping and sliding, as I keep working on allowing my foot to heal. Having a stable surface helps quite a bit. There is no question though that the running in circles is more boring, so I have to listen to music this way.
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It just seems to take longer to hit a mile running inside than it does outside. Running outside my mind can just go, and I can think of other things, and not the laps I am making. That is the joy in running…letting my mind go, and not even realizing I am exercising.
I still have a ways to go, but I am on my way! It just feels so good to be outside running again. I am not going as far, but that is ok. Just being able to go makes me happy. I will get there again. I need to use my head, and better judgement, to not have this happen again. Or at least not make it as easy to happen again. I am definitely getting back on my feet again, and am loving it. You get a whole new appreciation of the things in life you really love, or like to do, when you don’t have it for awhile. Once again, sounds like a lot of things in general about life. Don’t be taking things for granted. We don’t know when we may not have it, or the ability to not do it. But, just like now, I am figuring out other ways that I can keep moving. We all can keep moving, working on something. It sure beats sitting around doing nothing! Life is an adventure, and there may be curve balls…road blocks…misfortunes along the way. How we deal with it, or choose to deal with it, can really define us as an individual. Are we going to get creative, and get going, or are we going to sit back and feel sorry for ourselves, making ourselves miserable, as well as everybody else around us? It is up to us to choose. I get reminded of this from the old “Adventures of Indiana Jones” movies. One of the lines in the movie…”Choose wisely…”. Exactly! Choose wisely, and we can be happy, and live, or we can give up and be crabby. What is it going to be for you? Get back on your feet again, and get going! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 4141
