Time Off

Four years ago I was training for the Boston marathon and with three weeks left before the race I felt a strange pain in my lower back.  I went to my doctor hoping to for a quick diagnosis and to be treated on the spot.  Turns out, there would be no marathon.  An MRI showed multiple stress fractures in my sacrum and sitz bones.  I walked out of her office on a pair of crutches.  I was told I would have to take 6 months off from any activity, including walking, to recover from this injury.  For someone who thrives on both running and a routine, this was extremely difficult to swallow.  But, reluctantly, I did as I was told and in September, I started all over again.  I felt slow and out of shape, which was really annoying.  But, I had a completely new appreciation for running and could not have been happier about being back on the road.
 I'm sure many of you have been in a similar situation whether you are a runner, biker, walker; basically active in any way.  Just today a friend mentioned she needed work done on her foot and would be out of commission for a week.  "I feel your pain", I told her.  Whether it's a week, a month or a year, if you are active on a regular basis, being told to stop is not easy to hear.  All that said, sometimes your body needs a break.  Rather than fight it, try embracing the situation. Do something different that you've never been able to do because you haven't had the time.  The bottom line is, you know you'll get back out there, and when you do, you'll be so incredibly fired up to start again.  And that's such a great feeling.

Listen to this:
Life on the Nickel - Foster the People