the dangerous cycle

I haven't been able to run "well" since March.  Even going out for short quick runs has been causing strain on my left calf.

Super bummer!

Especially when 2012 was filled with running.  Running was my job, my gift, my passion.  It's what I spoke about at each speaking engagement.  

Being a long distance runner, I thought I knew what was going on with my leg, each time I would access and diagnose the situation, "Maybe it's my tendon, a hair line fracture or perhaps a muscle tear.  You know, all the running you did last year probably was the result of this."

And thus was the cycle I fell into.  I call it "The dangerous cycle of an injured long distance runner." (insert dramatic music here).

• Injury accrued.  
• Attempt to run.  
• Re-injure or strain whatever was previously injured or strained.
• Evaluate, asses and diagnose the pain as if you were a doctor.
• Attempt to run.
• Re-Re-injure or strain.
• Say you are going to "Rest." (Codeword for I'm going to bike, swim, walk, jumping jacks)
• Attempt to run.
• Re-Re-Re-injure or strain.
• ... and so on and so on  

I don't know if it is pride, ego, or unawareness; what I should have done in March was go to the doctor, but I didn't.  I thought I could fix it, and was completely naive, thinking I knew what was wrong with my body.  I mean seriously, if I could spend a year on the road, running up to 55 miles pushing a 150 gear cart, couldn't I figure out what was wrong with my lower leg?  I sustained very few injuries on the Awake My Sole journey, and now I can't even go for a 2 mile run without my leg feeling strained.

After moping and complaining about not being able to run, my incredible wife shared some words of wisdom with me, "Doctors go to school to figure out how to asses and diagnose injuries."

I gave in and finally went in to the doctor.  Six months later.

I entered the doctor's office.  At most, waited for about 5 minutes.  Filled out some forms.  The doctor asked me to walk around the office.  Observed my stride and patterns.  Put me on a bench and moved my leg, asked if it hurt when she moved it a certain way.  I told her when it hurt.  Brought me off the bench and said:

"You have a strained Peroneus Longus muscle.  You need to stop turning your left foot outwards when you run, turn it in straight ahead, and you need to walk from your heal of your foot to the toe of your foot, not to roll on the outside of your foot.  That should help."

That was it!  In less than 15 minutes, my injury was assessed, diagnosed and what the next steps for treatment were.

It's been a humbling process.

So, I've been walking 30 minutes every day with my left foot turned in.  Hope to be back and running soon, and thus blogging too.

this "thank you" goes out to Charity for assessing and diagnosing my leg.  

The Road ahead

Ten Days

Ten days, the running portion of the Awake My Sole journey will be coming to an end.  A routine of running, speaking, resting, meeting new people and discovering Iowa towns will come to an end.

Yes, a bittersweet feeling:  a feeling of achievement and accomplishment in finishing this yearlong journey across the state of Iowa, while at the same time a sadness and mourning in thinking the end of this journey is near.

A reminder while running to each Iowa town

Honestly, I always dreamt the journey would come to an end, but never actually thought I would be here.  At the beginning, a year seemed like such a long period of time, but with less than two weeks till the finish, it seems like such a short period of time.

So much has happened and yet so much has remained the same.

Time moves forward, and I am looking forward to what's next, especially with the Awake My Sole journey.  Already in the process of thinking and praying for what's to come.  Maybe someone else will take on the AMS journey across the state, or perhaps a relay, or writing a book of the journey, or perhaps a speaking tour across the state with other motivational speakers.

Who knows?

I do know that finishing this journey well is equally as important as when I started, as well as the planning stage, and for whatever comes next.

Many people have asked, "Do you still enjoy running and speaking?"

My answer, "Yes, I do."

Some days on the journey were really tough, and some weeks of speaking were overwhelming, but at the same time there were some days that were excellent and I felt the "runner's high" as I ran to the next town, or connecting well with the group of people I got to speak to.

Overall, this journey has been a story of risk.  In the risky and unknown having to truly rely on the Creator and others for my needs to be met, while at the same time planning and preparing in a way that brings a joy and meaningfulness.

My story is not your story, my journey is not your journey, but we are both writing a story with our life.

Ten days, the Awake My Sole journey comes to an end, however it's not THE END, but truly the beginning.  The beginning of what?  Not sure, but preparing and planning for whatever does come, while at the same time enjoying the moment.

Ten days.  Yesterday it was Eleven, tomorrow it will be Nine, together, whatever journey we may be on, let's live in a way in which each day of the journey we live well.  Some days wont be the best, and some days will be super rad; allow us to embrace them, because the bigger picture is a healthy balance of both.

Ten days....