Mixing It Up A Bit

For the last few years I have enjoyed and basically had a healthy obsession (pun so intended!) with running.  In a span of one year, I learned to run 5km and loved it; learned to run 10km and ran my first Vancouver Sun Run; learned to run a faster 10km and then followed that up by learning to run a half marathon. 

I ran 3 half marathon’s and was training for my 4^th one when the pain in my hips became so intense that it hurt to run as bad as it hurt after my runs.  So off to the Chiropractor I went.  One year and 2 Chiropractor’s later I run up to 5 days a week!

A major hurdle I had to deal with was the fact that I may never be able to run again.  What a blow that was!  In the early part of my year of rehab, with Chiropractor #1, he was able to adjust my hips so that there was no pain if I sat cross legged on the floor with my boys playing.  I never put two and two together when it came to the pain in my hips.  A lot of my day was spent playing on the floor with my babies and it never failed, I would get up and have to walk at a forward angle for a few feet before I could straighten up.  The pain in my hips never really went away and it was just exasperated by frequent and long runs.

Even though I could sit with my boys, it didn’t mean I could run and in most cases, I would come out of the Chiropractor’s office and go for a run only to be in pain the next day.  He told me that I really should start something else.  He suggested a spinning class once and I scoffed telling him I had a hard time grasping the enjoyment of sitting on a hard seat so my ass goes numb and pedal my legs off while going absolutely no where.  At least with running, I moved! I saw my environment and the beauty that was the outdoors in BC. 

Over the last year I have been thinking that I needed to do some kind of exercise if I wasn’t going to be able to run again but what?  I was so wrapped up with the “loss” of not running that I couldn’t find happiness in any sport.  Spinning, well we covered that!  Yoga?  Meh!  Swimming?  Cycling (outside)?  Nordic walking?  I just couldn’t get past the feeling and over all well being I had when I ran.  I could burn so many calories, de-stress and live on a runner’s high for the rest of the day on a 30 minute run!  In my mind, there was nothing that could compare.

In one of my races, I passed a man who had a hip replacement the year before and my thought was if he can run, why can’t I?  Chiropractor #1 and I parted ways and I am now happily with Chiropractor #2.  I love this man.  Why?  Well let me tell you!  After my assessment with him, I forcefully told him that he was not going to stop me from running and he looked square in the eyes and told me that I should never have to quit doing what I want. It was his job to make sure I can keep doing it.  Like I said, LOVE!!!!

Even though I can run without pain, I will most likely not run another half marathon.  I finally came to the peaceful conclusion that I was just going to have to deal with it and understand that there is nothing that was going to compare to or replace running in my life. I needed to find something ELSE I could love too!

I think I have finally found something that gives me some of the euphoria I get from running and I can pair the two up!  Since January of this year, I have started strength training and I am loving it.  I love the exhaustion I feel in my muscles afterward and the new strength the following day.  I also feel the difference when I run!

Strength training!  Who knew?