Fat Girl Running #3: Rolling with the Punches

In Which I Share Why I Like Running and How it Feels to be Forbidden to Do It... *sigh* 


Why I'm liking exercise, specifically running:

7) I can finally say, "I'm a runner" and mean something positive by it
6) It gets me outside for at least a half hour+ a day.
5) I'm learning lessons about focus and pushing through discomfort that are helping me in other areas of my life.
4) My mood improves all day after.
3) I love the high I get after 10 minutes or so of cardio.
2) I sleep better! (The value of this is not to be underestimated. To think there was a time I took a decent night sleep for granted.)

AND FINALLY (drum roll please....) the number 1 reason I like running: 

1) I feel a great sense of accomplishment after I've done it.
In other words: It makes me feel like a WARRIOR BADASS.

My warrior badass self is a little grumpy these days. It has been grounded, cut off, forbidden to run. DAMNIT.

It started with a mild knee pain last Thursday. I say “knee pain”, but it’s the tendon below and to the left of my right knee (a diagragm here might be helpful, but hang in there with me). I think it’s my patellar ligament. I ran on Friday anyway, thinking it was maybe just a little soreness, but that made it worse. I went out of town Saturday, taking my running gear with me hoping to run in the city with a friend, but the pain was worse by the time I got there on Saturday.

“Okay, “ I thought gamely (pun completely intended), I’ll take a break for a day or two and get back on schedule.

But alas, 'twas not to be. It was so sore over the weekend that even sitting in place on a cushy bed hurt. Walking hurt. It was clear that running would not only be no damn fun, but...well... probably stupid, maybe even damaging.

I'd been putting arnica on it, icing it and my friend gave me something called “canabalm”- made with marijuana (good for inflamation) and lemon balm (which I'm sure has medicinal properties in a balm, but I don't care- the smell of lemon balm, especially on a winters night is *orgasmically heavenly*. I would roll in it if I had enough).

All to no obvious avail.

I had a doctor appt this morning. She prescribed physical therapy, exercises and a knee brace, told me to continue what I'm doing with the icing and such. And no running or hardwalking for now. Period.

These cows in particular- I KNOW
they miss me!
(I'll be back Lucy and Ethel! Don't worry!)

Damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn ad nauseum.....

I'm surprised at how much I miss the rush. It’s only been six days off, but I miss it for all the reasons I've listed above and more. I'm quite sure the cows I greet every day that I run by are sad and wondering if I'm okay. I'm more tired, I'm certainly not as up beat, and I feel like a slug. My artist is getting more time, but my warrior badass self is pacing the perimeter of the room, grumbling about pussies and whiners, looking for something to punch. Which usually happens via my words. Shit.

So here I sit- grounded for the nonce. I'm only a little sore today, but I'm not pushing it. Floor exercises- Pfththtttt! But fine. Whatever. I need to come up with some that will work up a sweat, so I can get the warrior badass to take a nap.

The best laid plans... I've not given up by any means. I'm on the bench, but I'm not out of the game. I still have plenty of time to be ready for the Atalanta 5K Walk and Run in June.

'Scuse me while I got loll around on the floor, try to be in the moment and I look out the windows at the beautiful winter storm that has finally blown in.