An active lifestyle does not come naturally to me. I danced and played
tennis as a child and teen, but I was never the kid that was climbing
the walls and running around all day long. I would much rather be knitting,
working a puzzle, or just having a great conversation. However, I know
this is a recipe for poor health so I have tried really, really hard to
form better habits.
A friend of mine asked me to join the early morning classes at the Fitness
Center with her about 6 years ago. They gradually became a habit, and
I always felt better on the days I got my workout done first thing in
the morning.
Eventually, I got bored with my classes so another friend suggested running
a half marathon. It took a LOT of work to turn me into "a runner,"
but I did it. On October 21, 2015, two weeks before the race, I went out
for a run and within steps of leaving my driveway I fractured my pelvis.
It was a stress fracture that went through 90% of the bone, and it was
excruciating. It took six months to heal. I had a bone density scan, did
a lot of physical therapy, completed a running analysis and clinic, and
started running on a metronome to keep my strides short and quick. Everything
indicated it was a fluke injury, so I decided to try the half marathon again.
Unbelievably, a year to the day later, October 21, 2016, I got hurt again.
I ended up with a stress fracture in the neck of my right femur (hip)
and a torn hip flexor. I was devastated. I thought, "Clearly my body
can't handle distance running so this is my ONLY chance to do this,"
so I rested for the next two weeks, and then I ran the Indianapolis Monumental
Half Marathon on November 5, 2016. My husband said, "This is either
the worst decision you've ever made or I'm about to watch the
most bad ass thing I've ever seen." I walked to the start line
with a cane, then gave it to a friend to hold for the duration of the
race. To make a very long story short, it was a borderline disaster. But,
I finished the race in 2 hours and 33 minutes. I spent the next three
months on crutches, then two months on a cane, and finally three months
slowly regaining full use of my leg. My distance running days are totally
over now, and I'm 98% okay with that.
I started CrossFit in January of 2018, and I can honestly say I've
finally found the perfect fit for me. I love the people, the variety,
and the challenge of CrossFit. I've lost over 30 pounds and am truly
more fit than I have ever been in my entire life. I actually look forward
to working out. My CrossFit routine has made completing the Sage City
Triathlon a possibility, and I couldn't be happier. Do a sprint triathlon
has been something I have wanted to do for a long time.
On a slightly more serious note, I was recently diagnosed with a heart
arrhythmia. Most of the time, it's not an issue. But on the days my
heart gets out of sync, which I can physically feel and can last on and
off for hours upon hours, it's extremely unsettling. While I rest
calmly and wait for it to stop misfiring, I feel better knowing that,
while my arrhythmia is out of my control, I have chosen to take care of
my heart and keep it as strong as possible by exercising regularly and
having a more active lifestyle. In the end, that's what drives me
more than anything else.
I will never be the fastest. I will never be the strongest. I will never
be naturally athletic or active. But, I have a lot of grit which is what
keeps me going in an effort to constantly improve.
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