Has it really been that long?
I started running in 2007 and once I started, I never
stopped. I think that the longest I took off from running was after my first
marathon when my coach FORCED me to take two weeks off to recover.
And here we are….
I finally went to a doctor that listened to me and I finally
got some answers. Turns out all the symptoms I have been dealing with are a
thing (validation!). I’m hypothyroid, anemic, and I’m low on LOADS of
nutrients. So we’re working on putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. And
in the meantime I was given a few rules (he would probably want me to call them
guidelines)
1.
No weightlifting for an as yet to be determined
amount of time.
2.
No gluten
3.
Only one cup of high quality coffee a day (ugh,
I really love coffee).
4.
No running for three weeks.
What? No what for three weeks? But but but but…. But he’s right.
Give my body a bit of time to actually heal and let the stuff we are doing work
instead of bullying through it some more.
The next question, of course, was… can I walk? He said yes.
And then the next question was…. But like how LONG can I walk because I’m a
person that runs for ten hours at a time for fun. Of course, he laughed, shook
his head, and said…. An hour.
Welp, there you go. I was entering unknown territory.
Because what the F do I do when I don’t run all the time? And then I had a
friend put it into perspective
“OH this is great because you can take some time off without
feeling guilty. You won’t have to worry about stupid crap like… oh I should be
running. Or oh the schedule says I have to do this so I better get out there
even though I feel like crap and it’s 110 degrees with the heat index”.
Is it that attitude that got me into this mess? I don’t
know. But I’m making it a goal to make the best of this vacation from running.
Last weekend, instead of a long run, I went for a walk with a friend and her
four month old baby! My husband and I ordered the flooring for that room we
ripped the carpet out of at least three years ago. My kitchen counter is clean
like more than once every two weeks! I’m reading a book! And I don’t feel
guilty when I’m tired at the end of the day and all I want to do is lay on the
couch with my dogs. I just do it.
Of course I’m already plotting my comeback. But my comeback
involves things like listening to what my body is actually saying. I guess I’ll see how this all plays out,
but for right now, Persistent Runner has become Persistent
Rester/Walker/Relaxer.
No gluten, 1 cup of coffee max and no running? Is life even worth living like that? ;)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your time off from running focusing on fun things and I'm sure it will pass quickly!
Cheers to figuring out the problems and being on the path to feeling better!!
I KNOW, RIGHT? I keep telling myself it will all be worth it if I feel better in the end. AND I have also spent at least an hour on Pintrest looking up gluten free pumpkin dessert recipes. :)
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