If this ankle injury has given me anything, it’s given me a lot of perspective.
I’m not a lover of exercise. As much as I talk about how good it is for you, how it aids in your heart health and overall well-being, I drag myself kicking and screaming to the gym or on a run. While I feel pretty awesome after I exercise, I’m not entirely sure if it’s to do to the exercise or just being done.
On Wednesday morning, I was not happy about running. I had 2 miles scheduled and was nervous as heck that I wouldn’t be able to complete it. My previous one was pretty awful and honestly, I was in vacation mode. I just wanted to be in Orlando.
But when I fell and realized my ankle was badly injured, my first thought was, “Oh, my God. What does this mean for my half-training?” (OK, OK. I’ll be honest. My first thought was really: “Crap! What am I going to do about Disney World?!”) Later on, thoughts began to flood my mind of how long I should stay off it and how this will cut into my half-marathon training.
The thought of not being able to exercise, compared to not wanting to exercise, made me stop and think. How often do we take our ability to move, to run, to bike, to swim freely? I know I’m guilty of moaning and groaning about having no motivation to work out. I have taken my ability for granted.
There are so many people who don’t have the ability to exercise. My grandma sometimes finds it hard to walk from her bedroom to her chair in the living room because she is so sick and weak from chemo. On her good days, she can wash the dishes before she becomes too weak and has to take a nap. I remember how long it took my mom to recover from her surgery two years ago. While she bounced back rather quickly, it was still a very long time before she felt comfortable going for a run.
Yet I have the ability. I have the energy and the stamina to endure a pretty physical workout. But I complain. Whine. Moan. Groan. Make excuses.
I’m still hopeful I’ll be able to run on Saturday. My ankle still hurts on occasion, but it’s nowhere near as painful as it was a week ago. If you experience pain, make sure to visit a physio near you. And if I can get out there and just run, I will be happy. I’ll be happy because my body is working properly. It’s doing what it was designed to do. And I will be grateful for each pound of the pavement.
I had the exact same realization a when I was injured and couldn't run for over a year. I try to never take running (or exercising) for granted anymore. Hope everything is okay with the ankle and it feels better soon!!
You are so right. So many people around me have physical issues – with their backs, knees, joints, whatever. I don't really get physical pain, I don't need physio or massages. And I am so lucky to be able to say that! I should appreciate it more.
I honestly think I get a genuine high towards the end of a run. You know, the endorphins and what not 🙂 But I won't deny that yes, it feels good to be done with it, as well!
Great post and girl, don't feel bad-you're not alone in the whining and moaning and groaning but wow-isn't it an awesome feeling when you're done?
It's the same thing when I get a sore throat and can't swallow… or a stuffy nose and can't breathe through my nose. HATE IT.
This is such an inspirational post! There are some things I simply can't do, because of my legs. Sometimes, I whine and complain or get frustrated when the Wii/exercise video does an exercise that I can't do. Posts like these remind me that I CAN do a lot of exercises, and some people with conditions like mine can't WALK. What the heck am I complaining about? Time to get back on track. Thanks for sharing and reminding us all. 🙂
I've thought about this before, especially when it comes to soldiers. They come home armless or with no legs, and they just can't function the way they used to. I can't even imagine how hard that is. There was one guy who was kicker for Wofford a few years back, and he only had one arm. I thought it was so cool and amazing that he was out there anyway, even though his balance must've been slightly crooked while trying to perform (then again, it might not've effected his game at all). Then, I saw a little boy in the hospital on the front page of our state newspaper yesterday, and a baseball coach was visiting him. I thought how awful it must be for that kid to lay in bed all the time, never getting out, never getting to participate in any activities like little league. I know I take my ability to move the way I was designed for granted. It's those moments I come out of the clouds that I'm really grateful for, and realize that I could have it so much worse.
i went through this when i tore my ACL last year 🙁 I was so sad to not be able to run and vowed that I would make the most of it when I recovered!