Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Easing my way back into it

September is always a month of transition.

Summer slowly fades into fall.  The hot weather of August gives way to cooler September nights.  Baseball is replaced with football on TV on the weekends.  Kids adjust to waking up early for school.  Parents spend hours filling calendars with all the family activities and arranging carpools to sports practices.  We mourn the loss of hot, lazy days at the pool while we simultaneously embrace the routine that comes with the school year.  

I am definitely easing my way into the transition.  

I am enjoying having all the kids back in school.  I am looking forward to soccer games, school functions, gymnastics practices and swim lessons.  I am loving having a few free hours in the mornings so I can grocery shop in peace.  And I am hungry for some time to write and to connect with others.  But I am most excited about my transition back to running.

I had to give up running completely for most of the summer and relied instead on doing Insanity workouts plus the occasional spin or swim workout in order to feed my addition to exercise-induced endorphins.  But they are really poor substitutes for the joy I feel when my feet are pounding the pavement or hitting the trails.  

The last straw for me was when I had to drop out of the Hood to Coast team that my husband and I had put together with friends and had looked forward to all summer.  I ended up driving the van for the team (and had an amazing time) but I spent the weekend feeling like an addict who had their favorite drug in front of them but wasn't allowed to partake.  I'm not gonna lie -- I was so jealous every time one of our team members jumped out of the van to run that it was painful at times.  

I finally saw an orthopedist and, following an MRI, received the news that the cartilage under my left knee cap is "roughed up".  While I was initially devastated and thought this spelled the beginning of the end of my days as a runner, I have since changed my outlook.  I am seeing a physical therapist who believes strongly that I will be back running pain-free soon if I work on some simple strengthening exercises.  Of course, any damage that has been done to my cartilage is irreversible but there is no evidence that my running is the sole cause of all this damage.  Yes, it would be naive of me to think that there was no relationship between my years of high-mileage running and damage to my cartilage.  But I have also been an active person my whole life and I'm no spring chicken.  So, taken in context, a little damaged cartilage isn't all that surprising.  I am seeing the orthopedist again this week where I am hopeful he will clear me to begin running again.  

Of all the things that I am easing myself back into this month, running is by far the one I am most excited about.  As the days get shorter, my runs will hopefully get longer.  

We celebrated the end of summer with a trip to the Oregon coast over Labor Day weekend

The last ice cream of the summer

Who else has been injured recently?
Do you miss summer already or are you ready for the transition to fall?

- Kristen


31 comments:

  1. Exactly! Your description of the transition from summer to fall with a young family is so totally right on :) Such a bummer to hear about your knee, but you definitely have the right attitude! I'm sure you have years and years of running ahead of you!

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    1. I am sure on some level, my running days are numbered. But I want them to be numbered in years and decades!

      Happy to hear I'm not alone in craving the routine of school, even if it means less time with the kiddos. (Or maybe because it means less time?!) ;)

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  2. I was off of running for the summer too. I cycled instead, but it's still not the same for me. Hope your transition back is met with encouragement!

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    1. Are you injured, Holly?! I've been thinking of you and all the other women who were in Boston with me...this week especially as the Boston registration opens up. Hugs.

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  3. Up here in Western NY autumn is great! I always miss summer but I love fall just as much. I run better in cooler weather anyway so I look forward to it.

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    1. YES to running in cooler weather!! And I started this post out planning to write about the Sunshine Awards and found my thoughts going elsewhere. I will write that post later this week for sure. :)

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  4. Stopping by for the first time from Kris on Fitness. Good luck with your transition into fall and back to running. I've gone through several running-related injuries over the years, including knee issues and an ITB flare-up that sidelined me one week before the first marathon I ever signed up for. The injuries were so frustrating at the time, but ultimately I came back stronger and with a great appreciation for running. Love the beach pic!

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    1. I also had an ITB flare-up right before a marathon and it was so incredibly frustrating, especially after all those hours, weeks and months of training! I hate to hear how many of us have suffered injuries over the years but I suppose that is just part of the sport. :( Here's hoping I follow your example and come back stronger!

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  5. I take it back...I have visited before. It's just been too long!

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  6. Hi you. I'm definitely ready for right now. The weather is gorgeous here and the kids are loving school and I'm LOVING routine again. Ah, I bet HTC was hard with not being able to run. I know this feeling so well. I was never injured until 2010 and then I've been injured several times. Always stinks. I hope that you heal quickly and find a way to get back there soon! Enjoy those quiet grocery store trips.

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    1. Hey you. :) Glad to hear the weather has FINALLY gotten better for you in NC! Can't believe how much rain you (and the rest of the South) had this summer. Bummer that you have been injured so much, too. I know your hamstring still bothers you at times...

      I can't wait for you to get back to Portland so we can run together. Fast, slow, long or short...I don't really care! I'll just be happy to be out there enjoying my favorite pastime with a favorite person. xo

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  7. Ah I've spent the entire summer not running due to injury, but my silver lining is that it was really hot, and I'm not a hot weather runner, now that I am slowly recovering, it's cooling off! Yeah! The Oregon Coast is so beautiful!! I want to go back when there are not 12, 000 HTC runners there. Sorry you haven't been 100% but glad to hear you're slowly coming back around!

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    1. Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear you've been injured, too! I have been completely absent from the blogs all summer so I have to go back and read about your injury. Happy to hear you love the Oregon Coast, though! :)

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  8. I'm so glad you will still be able to run and that there is something you can do to get back to pain-free! It's rough on the mind to be off of running, no matter what cross training you do!
    You deserve a medal for helping out with the relay when you couldn't run it. It is hard to see and not participate.
    Enjoy your transition carefully. Looking forward to running with you someday!

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    1. Raina, it really was SO HARD not running HTC, especially since my team was packed with friends (and my husband) that I had recruited over the previous months! College friends, high school friends, new friends, etc...and I spent all weekend driving the van. It definitely still was a fun experience but I was so bummed to not really be a part of it.

      Hope your PF continues to get better and, YES, we will run together someday! xo

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  9. Happy to hear you'll be running again soon. I would have felt the same way as you when you drove the van for the Hood to Coast. Am injured, too, but running the marathon this weekend anyway and then taking time off. Injuries suck! Don't want summer to end, but want some slightly cooler temps. Good luck with the knee.

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    1. You are running a marathon while injured? Are you crazy?!! I am only teasing...I think we have all done that at one time or another! Nobody ever said marathoners were a smart group. ;) Good luck with your race and hope the time off heals whatever is bothering you.

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  10. I hope you are able to get back to running! I know lots of people who had similar diagnoses and were able to get back to it. Good luck! :)

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    1. Erin, I am relieved to hear that you know lots of people who have had something similar and were able to get back running. I also know you have had to take some time off so you know exactly how I'm feeling right now!! :)

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  11. I love your description of fall, because you I miss the lazy sunny days at the lake, but I'm so glad to have the routine of kids in school again.

    Hopefully you'll be cleared to run again soon! There really is nothing like it!

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    1. It's so funny how I look forward to summer for months beforehand and then find myself looking forward to it being over, too! Guess it is a testament to how exhausting it is to have the kids home every single day. ;)

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  12. I'm glad you're feeling hopeful! I had knee pain about five years ago and did some pt and it never came back! Good luck!

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    1. Thanks, Laura -- I love hearing from others who are back at it after knee pain. :)

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  13. I can't believe I haven't commented on this yet - SORRY! I am SO with you though it's taking me some time to ease back into it all. I feel I built up a backlog of chaos and I don't feel like I've caught up with all that yet.

    So sorry to hear about your knee but I think you are right - this is totally something you can get past. I was diagnosed with something similar 8 years (and 10 marathons) ago and here I am. I have an osteo who treats me and knows what to do to relieve the pain, I kind of stretch / roll / strengthen (hrmmm) and overall it seems to be controllable.

    Have you entered BOston? I entered on Friday (I'm not as fast as you lady!) and haven't heard yet but assume I'm in as they're reopening tomorrow. Tell me about your plans!

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    1. I have been waiting to read a blog post from you, Petra, on how your IM training is going!! Has it started yet?? I can't wait to follow along. I hope one day to do an IM for myself but that is just a dream at this opint.

      As for Boston, I'm SO HAPPY to hear you are planning on running it! I registered last week but have yet to figure out if I'll be able to actually get there and run it next spring. So many family conflicts at that same time so I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed that it all works out. Will you be coming by yourself or bringing family?? So excited for you!! xo

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  15. Sorry to hear about your knee! I've had 4 knee surgeries and so I feel your pain. Like you, I've substituted many a run with Insanity and lots of cross training. You seem to have a great attitude about it! Here's hoping in a few years they'll be able to just inject some extra cartilage under our knee-caps like it's no big deal ;)

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    1. You have had 4 knee surgeries?!!! It is great to hear your outlook and know that despite your surgeries, you are still running as well as cross training. Yes, an injection of extra cartilage would be a GREAT invention! :)

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  16. Love the name of your blog! Sorry about your knee troubles :( I haven't had knee problems with my running but do suffer relentless hip and Achilles tendon issues.
    I'm so happy about Autumn however. My girls are back in school and I LOVE the cold mornings, leaves changing and Oktoberfest at Snowbird! That is a great photos of your Oregon Coast trip. I LOVE Oregon. We moved to Utah from Seattle... but I miss the Pacific Northwest terribly!

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    1. I am sorry to hear about your hip and achilles issues... I hope it hasn't kept you from doing what you love!

      Where do you live in Utah? At least you moved from one beautiful state to another -- I love Utah for skiing! I hope you enjoy the beautiful fall weather for the next few months. :)

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  17. the jumping pic is too cute! love it. at least you were able to keep moving through the summer some, and now for some lovely fall weather to help get you back in the groove!

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