Becoming Zen....

6/24/12

This one is about me.  I know- right?  It is a little lengthy, but bear with me. I have always loved sports and physical activity.  I started dancing at age 3.  I danced for ten years then entered middle school and started organized sports. I tried out for softball but didn't make it.  Realizing I could be fast, I began running in 7th grade on our middle school track team.  Except for a a season I lost due to bronchitis I continued running all through my senior year of college.  I love to run.  I "was" a sprinter.  Only doing mileage for cross training.  After graduating college, I started running 5Ks.  That was pretty fun.  I could still incorporate some speed into that. I loved running through Central Park when we lived in NYC.  I loved running in the Chicago suburbs.  After moving back to Buffalo, I continued running - through the streets and in the parks.  I ran the Corporate Challenges, the Susan B. Komen 5Ks, Mississippi Muds 5 K (BEST after race food EVER!), Subaru 4 miler (ooo....4 miles!) and my first ever Turkey Trot. There were others stuck in there, but those were my favorites.  In running, I found my happy place.  Relaxation after a day of work or just a day....Josh and I ran together until we realized the jogger stroller was NOT Keelin's favorite place to be.  So we began running separately. 
Fast forward a few years....I began training for a half marathon....gulp....a far cry from my favorite race, the 400m.  Luckily, I had 2 great training partners, Carrie & Jo.  Carrie and I trained through the week and met up with Jo on the weekends for our long runs.  I NEVER thought I could run a half.  The girl who had never run more than 6 miles.  (I did the Peachtree Roadrace ONCE-holy hot) Carrie and Jo assured me, once I hit 7...once I hit 8....once I hit 9....and pushed past I could do it.   Each mile mark after 6 miles was a personal victory for me.  I did complete the half and then started training for another one.  The day before my 2nd half, I was diagnosed with a pretty severe case of strep throat.  When I first came in the Dr suggested maybe keeping it easy on the half, by the end of the appointment, he strongly advised I not run :(  All that work and I could not even race:(  I definately caught a little distance bug though.  Carrie and Jo were talking about doing a full.  I could do that!!!! Unfortunately, the one half I ran was my last.  I was diagnosed with a ruptured disc and went through 18 months of PT and cortisone injections before going through surgery.  After the surgery I was told no distances greater than a 10K and no biking.  Pretty depressing.  I had always relied on running to create my feelings of relaxation....my zen.  I had to find something else.  A friend recommended yoga.  My mom recommended yoga.  Yoga...blech....so slow, so boring, a snooze-fest.  I was afraid to run.  I was afraid to do anything.  But no physical activity was making me even more depressed.  I continued to do some on my PT exercises but it just was not the same.  This spring I decided I was not going to be scared anymore and I began running again.  Just a 1-2 miles at a time.  I let Josh talk me into working out again, alternating strength training with boxing or some other cardio.  I visited my sister and she got my outside on her deck and we did yoga together out in the sunshine.  Maybe I have "matured"  (ha ha) .  What a difference.  It was not what I thought it would be.  I truly felt like I did a workout.  Something I did not expect.  It was not the feeling I got after running, but it was another kind of zen....The only thing I need to do now, is create a sound proof, kid proof room in my house...hmmmmm

xo~M

6/8/03 Komen Race (I ran pregnant with Ella:)

My first HALF :)

Kiawah 1/2 Marathon Dec. 2010-the last time I will EVER walk a half!