Two weeks ago I should have become an official “marathoner.” But grudgingly, I followed instructions from three different doctors that told me I needed to…stop running. Boy was I in quite a mood that weekend I found out. I was upset with all the hard work and sacrifice I felt just went to waste. A back injury from over seven years ago was making me run and put all of my weight on one side of my body every time I hit the ground. My back, hip, leg and foot were all suffering and I could not endure the huge amount of running I was trying to accomplish. I was mad, but not sure who to be mad at. I had come to love running, it was my escape in my busy mommy life and I didn’t want it to go away. I didn’t want the newfound energy I had been missing for a few years to suddenly diminish. I finally cared about making time for myself, taking care of my body and feeling healthy.
After a few days of sulking and finding no one to put the blame on, I got over myself. Not every goal you set out to accomplish turns out the exact way you envisioned. By just training for a marathon I learned I was missing something very important in my priorities—taking care of myself.
I am proud of completing over twenty weeks of my training and getting up to sixteen miles. Even now when I find myself lost I think about one of my runs, where I truly felt like a marathoner. I can remember the sounds, smells, feelings and my love for running. And even though I wasn’t able to complete my marathon, I did find something more important—a missing part of myself.
For more from Vanessa, visit her at www.INeverGrewUp.net where she blogs ideas and reviews to keep your children educated, entertained and cared for.
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