- Goal Setting
- Commitment to Achievement
- Positive Youth Development
- Healthy Lifestyles
It's been hard to share experiences because- and I will stick with my mantra of this being a whine free zone - I really haven't been able to experience running without resulting pains (I'm stopping with descriptives there).
What I will share is that I went to a well respected sports therapist yesterday - an excellent professional who cares for high profile clients like several of our NY sports teams, elite marathon runners - as well as committed amateurs such as myself. It took him about 7 minutes of tests to diagnose me and his comment was that "if I don't want to end up eventually in a wheelchair, I should find another sport". In other words, NO MORE RUNNING - he added that this is what a smart person would do.
Me, being me, I had to ask "just supposing I wanted to be stupid and try running". He said if that's what you want to do, make sure you have plenty of money and find someone in Toronto that can take care of you often - cause you'll need it. And eventually you'll end up in a wheelchair. So, as much as my wife loves me, I don't think that's what she was envisioning for our future. It's official. My running days are over. Writing this is for some reason, helping me. Not sure why - but it is.
So, what next? Well, the good doctors recommendation was two sessions of extremely enjoyable (well, not exactly) therapy where they got all the "junk" out of my calves and feet and then we'll see. For now, no weight bearing exercise - not even out of the saddle spinning - so guess I'll be getting lots of reading done on the stationary bike. And I guess I'll be getting ripped up top (or not) as I can do upper body strength training. I'm even off my new love hockey until my feet are back to being able to walk - forget run -without pain. All in all, lots of fun!
Seriously, I was initially crushed but I have to look at it some fresh ways. Everything has it's place and time - I had mine and made the most of it. Most of all, I feel gratified that it inspired me to try to share running as a teacher to help others - teens - learn from the experience.
I guess I could hypothesize that if I hadn't run so often and so much, I would have had more time running. But for better or worse, that's not the way I do things. When I love it, I love it. It's sort of the way I always look at it when I fall in love with a great song, comedy routine or television show (i.e. watching Seinfeld reruns. I can and will listen to it endlessly until I don't enjoy it and I'm tired of it. People have often asked why not just do it (the song, the show) occasionally? My feeling is capture it for all its worth and when you're done, you're done. I guess in this case, running was done with me.
And after therapy? As I mentioned, hopefully back to hockey which has and I'm sure will continue to be an exciting challenge for me. But I will definitely be on the hunt for some new form of exercise that I can throw myself into - the natural seems to be biking. I've found it particularly hard to bike in Yonkers and Westchester so perhaps the move to Toronto will be the open door there. If you're reading this and have any suggestions, please share away.
In keeping with the theme of this blog, what's the lesson here? There are several?
1) Running is truly a mind over body spirit. I say with modesty that over the past six years, I was able to run 11 marathons and (I think) 16 half marathons with, as my doctor noted, all the wrong connections where it counts.
2) You have a choice to make when you take on something. Moderation or intensity. There are arguments for both. As I said, I threw myself into running and have no regrets. At the same time, if its right for you to hold back - and on occasions it is -do so. Your choice.
3) Kind of a cliche but endings are beginnings. Yes I'm bummed. Yes I'm going to sell all my running shoes on ebay just to get them out of the house so I don't have to look at them. But I'm a little excited. I'm a little excited thinking about finding some new things to challenge me both physically and mentally. And I'll try to be a little bit patient - but not totally sure about how that will work!
Finally, what does this mean for my involvement in Teens Run Westchester? It changes absolutely nothing about my commitment to being a part of what I would call TRW 2 - the next generation of TRW. While I may not be able to be out there on the runs, I will cheer, pour water, write grants and do whatever I can to keep moving forward.
See you out there -
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