What I'm Doing These Days
What I'm doing other than not running? First and foremost, trying to cultivate a positive attitude. Seriously, that's the biggest thing I feel I can do to hasten my recovery.
So last Saturday I volunteered to staff the aid station for my running club's ORF pacing groups. The run was along the Carquinez Strait, and I was stationed in a primo spot. It was a stunning day, the air was brisk, and the runners were each and every one impressive--beautiful, even.
Earlier last week I spent three out of five work days visiting my overpriced gym and working out, hitting in no particular order the Concept rower, the spin bike, the elliptical machine, and the pool. The rower and the bike seemed the least painful, so this week I'll do them again.
Not this past weekend but the one before, I paid a visit to my home town to attend the memorial service of a dear family friend. I was honored to be asked to speak, so even though I was a bit scared (my little talk just preceded talks by the president emeritus of UNR and the current interim president), I thought positive, and jumped right in. An added bonus was that my favorite nephew and his bride were in the audience to lend their support.
And today? Well, I just came back from walking from my workplace in Levi's Plaza up that big hill to Coit Tower. How on earth to admit that I've been a Bay Area resident for more than 30 years but have never been up there? There's no way to admit it, so I'm pretending it's not true.
About my injury. Dr. Jess advised me not to run for two weeks. It's been almost that long now, but I'm not going to run a step until after I see her, later this week. Today is the first day since I re-injured myself that I can feel an actual (if minuscule) improvement in my hip and piriformis. It is electrifying to identify that slight ebbing of bad feeling, so I have to rein myself in from deciding to run "just a measly three miles" to celebrate. I'm trying to treat this whole experience as an opportunity to re-invent myself as a runner. To advocate for the me who can run short and run slow and still say "I'm a runner" and believe it. Wish me luck!
So last Saturday I volunteered to staff the aid station for my running club's ORF pacing groups. The run was along the Carquinez Strait, and I was stationed in a primo spot. It was a stunning day, the air was brisk, and the runners were each and every one impressive--beautiful, even.
Earlier last week I spent three out of five work days visiting my overpriced gym and working out, hitting in no particular order the Concept rower, the spin bike, the elliptical machine, and the pool. The rower and the bike seemed the least painful, so this week I'll do them again.
Not this past weekend but the one before, I paid a visit to my home town to attend the memorial service of a dear family friend. I was honored to be asked to speak, so even though I was a bit scared (my little talk just preceded talks by the president emeritus of UNR and the current interim president), I thought positive, and jumped right in. An added bonus was that my favorite nephew and his bride were in the audience to lend their support.
And today? Well, I just came back from walking from my workplace in Levi's Plaza up that big hill to Coit Tower. How on earth to admit that I've been a Bay Area resident for more than 30 years but have never been up there? There's no way to admit it, so I'm pretending it's not true.
About my injury. Dr. Jess advised me not to run for two weeks. It's been almost that long now, but I'm not going to run a step until after I see her, later this week. Today is the first day since I re-injured myself that I can feel an actual (if minuscule) improvement in my hip and piriformis. It is electrifying to identify that slight ebbing of bad feeling, so I have to rein myself in from deciding to run "just a measly three miles" to celebrate. I'm trying to treat this whole experience as an opportunity to re-invent myself as a runner. To advocate for the me who can run short and run slow and still say "I'm a runner" and believe it. Wish me luck!
Comments
Don is working on a sports hernia. Injuries are a definite distraction from fun running.
Happy healing to you.