When the doc told me to stop running due to stress fractures in my shin, I pretty much stopped doing anything. I didn’t post any blogs, I just kind of slid into a funk. Originally I was only going to be booted for a month then it was two months then a couple more weeks. When I finally got it off, I was told no running for a while. By that time I felt as if I had gained weight, lost all my muscle tone and just felt generally crappy.
It’s amazing how much of a boost exercise gives your brain, not to mention the benefits your body gets from it. The only problem for me is – it’s so hard to get started. I was doing great for a while there as long as I kept the momentum going. Much like a pregnant woman who gets a free pass to eat and gain weight during the pregnancy, I started eating junk, telling myself that I might as well enjoy something if I couldn’t run. Huge mistake, I know.
Instead of hitting the trails, I decided to try boot camp. I found a great one. It’s small so that it feels as if I had my own personal trainer. The trainer is great, she keeps us moving without sounding like a drill sergeant. The best thing about this is the way it’s giving me a good workout without putting all the stress on my shins, ankles and feet. It’s a slow process but I feel my muscles getting stronger again. My endurance is improving and all without feeling any bone pain in my body.
This is not to say I’m not going to go running again. I will definitely be hitting the trails, especially when those beautiful days. But I’m going to keep mixing it up with an overall training program. Keep taking the calcium supplements and be a little more conscientious of keeping the nutrients that my body needs for bone health.
Perhaps I’ll be able to work my way up to a marathon one day. Yes, I think running a marathon could be one of the things on my bucket list…
firelightdreams 