Daily Archive for September 5th, 2007

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I think I’m just too far past that terrible 11 mile run to go into specific details. The pain is fading, and I’m left with the memory that I didn’t quit. I walked a lot, but I completed all 11 miles. I remember talking about how painful it was, and thinking I never want to do that again, but it mostly just feels good now. Maybe this is how you feel after giving birth? Um. OK. Probably not… That said, I’m not proud that one bad run had me questioning whether I’d actually be able to go through with this. Maybe it’s not the physical challenges of this process that I should be worrying about? Maybe I should take a long, hard look at my mental stamina. It helped that Lumpy and Sally assured me that both the pain, and my reaction to it, were normal. It helps that my 12 miler this past weekend was manageable. Actually, the 12 miler was pretty great. I wouldn’t say fun, exactly, I was certainly hurting for a good portion of it. But it was my 31st birthday, a completely gorgeous morning, and the sense of accomplishment I felt as I touched the trash can that marked the end of the run was something I’ve never felt before. I can actually run 12 miles. Amazing.

I’ll know that I’ll probably have more runs like the 11 than the 12, but each time I go out the possibility of the magic run exists. I just need to do a better job remembering it during the bad runs. And I need to do a better job of relaxing, learning from the bad and enjoying the good. Never again will it be a process of firsts. I don’t want to miss a second of it.

And now for the illuminating moment of the day…

I have no lateral strength in my legs. It was confirmed at physical therapy. The sad thing is that if I had only been consistent the last few years with my strength training, I would more or less be fine right now. There are no indications (other than taking the aforementioned MRI option) that I have any more torn cartilage. I’m just weak. Sheesh. Rode to work yesterday and that was it, rode to p.t. today, and that will be it for today. It’s too damn hot here right now to do much of anything. It should cool down after tomorrow.

Here’s a quote for the right wing: “You must love Big Brother. It is not enough to obey him; you must love him.” George Orwell, 1984

“Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.” Omar N. Bradley

“Adversity is the first path to truth.” Lord Byron

Can we all say we have a fairly close relationship with truth? I know I can.