Starting Over

            

          The month of October has always been special to me these last few years.  October the 1st normally marks the start of the beginning of a new season and training begins to build for the next year with the same focus—competing well at a national championship.  This October has been no different, although many things in my life have changed—as has my running.  I am now living in a new place, have a new job, and have a whole new challenge that I have never experienced before with running—starting over.  My posterior tibial surgery is the first injury of my career that has completely halted my running and overall way of life.  I feel like a freshman in high school as I begin running and preparing for the 2016 season.  Every run feels new, every workout seems foreign and the recovery process and lifestyle I had worked so hard to create feels like a challenge I am far away from conquering.  One thing that will help in the revitalization of my running career is experience, which is ironic because in the past, experience at the professional level was my biggest weakness as an athlete. 

            Now any prior experience will be more vital than ever before as I am just a few short weeks away from resuming a normal training routine.  The first eight-to-ten weeks of physical therapy were very tedious—both physically and mentally.  I never thought I could work so hard and only reap the smallest of gains.  However, these last three weeks have clicked in a way that have given me hope that my ankle will be able to perform better than ever.  It was only two weeks ago that I was able to run 15-20 minutes on a treadmill and go on two, four-mile walks outside per week.  Last week, I ran seven times, including one track workout (12x400), two physical therapy sessions and one four-mile walk.  A huge hurdle in rebuilding anything from surgery is strength.  My largest challenge, however, has been endurance.  The progression has been quite amazing as intensity and volume have increased over time to a point where I no longer need to ice my foot daily, and I am no longer sore walking around the house after a day on my feet. Our bodies truly are a beautiful creation, and I have been astounded at the fact that mine can rebuild and come back from seemingly nothing.  Honestly, running four-minute miles has no comparison to coming back from injury.  Being stuck in the darkness of recovery has been an invaluable tool for sparking the drive I will need to reach all of my goals this coming year.

            Despite my injury and time away from running, I have still been blessed with so many opportunities to stay connected with the sport I love the most.  Rock Hill, South Carolina, is where my running career was jumpstarted in 2008 thanks to Coach Ben Paxton and Winthrop University.  I had the opportunity this past Saturday to share a run and fellowship with some major advocates for our sport at Swim, Bike and Run—a specialty store for all athletes in this downtown location.  This family owned store has a strong community focus and was the perfect place for me to rekindle my relationship with a city I shared life with for eight years.  Thank you to all who came out to run and listen to my story of how running has changed my life. It was very special to go back to the town where I realized I had the potential really run fast and compete at the highest level.

            I am thankful for all the help I have had in getting back to full health and I am so grateful that I can do the thing I love most again.  As I start my training, I cannot help but think about how much I have changed over these last four months, and how much I have grown as a person.  Even though I have not been physically running at a high level, I know that my experiences will help fuel me in ways that I would have never been able to imagine in full health.  I wish injury on no one, but the ways in which I appreciate the sport of running, training and racing will never be taken for granted.  In the midst of sitting of the couch in a cast, struggling though the first weeks of therapy and dealing with the frustrations (and anger...yes, I get angry!) of being injured will be life lessons I will take with me forever.  Knowing that I can overcome these challenges through running will help me as my scope on life has been altered in a way that has only made me a stronger more determined individual.  Onwards and Upwards.  RunHappy—I know I will more now than ever before.