A Disease of the Mind

I went running yesterday morning with my friend Katie who is KILLING IT with her runs! We met at the start of Lakeshore Trail, but she’d already run there from her house, which isn’t that close, in my opinion. Then she proceeded to run back after we finished our 4.25 miles. Get it, girl!

I just love hearing stories about people who weren’t runners and then, all they do is try it and keep at it and poof! They’ve got the sickness. The running sickness. That’s what it must be, right? I mean, why else would we subject ourselves to sweat dripping down our faces, salt coming out of our pores, shin splints, sore knees, plantar fasciitis…any number of injuries! It must be because of a disease of the mind.

I’m experiencing my fair share of soreness right now — mainly my left foot, which I really need to get checked by a doctor. When I ran last Wed., I barely noticed any pain and was so excited about it, I thought, “Maybe it’s gone for good!” Unfortunately it started rearing its ugly head again during yesterday’s run and I was pretty disappointed. It caused me to stop and walk more than I wanted. Today at work, I’ll roll my foot on a tennis ball for awhile. But I do need to see someone and find out what’s really going on.

The thing is, even though I get sore now and then, and I complain about having to go run, I love it. There’s just something about running … as Katie said yesterday, you can just get up and go. If you’ve got the time, there’s nothing stopping you. Besides decent sneakers, you don’t need any equipment or a certain time at the gym — it’s just you and the road.

And I love the feeling of pushing myself. There’s no one telling me I have to run 4 miles. In fact, yesterday I’d planned on 3 and we just kept going. I wonder sometimes why I ever take a running hiatus because starting up again is hard. I’m slower than I used to be and I can’t run as far. Part of that may also be the weight gain I’ve experienced this year. But I’m doing it. I’m out there hitting the pavement and it feels great. Somehow, it’s just empowering to know that I can run. Even if, because of an injury, I can’t ever run a half marathon again, I can and will always run shorter distances. I just have that running sickness!

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About stellarfashionandfitness

I am Jennifer Dome, a 33-year-old woman living in Birmingham, Ala., miles from my Northeast-based family and some of my closest friends, but loving the Magic City, my BF and the friends I’ve made here in the South. I’ve lived in nine different states, plus London, and worked for some top-notch publications (Southern Living, Women’s Wear Daily) as a writer and copy editor. Now I am the assistant editor at a bass fishing magazine. I’ve struggled with my weight for as long as I remember, at one time tipping the scale at 289 pounds. At the end of 2009, weighing in at about 275, I started counting calories (I now use Weight Watchers) and exercising regularly, finally finding some success in this ongoing battle. After a scare from my doctor in early 2010, that success became even more important to my overall health. It’s still a challenge, and the scale definitely moves up and down instead of just down, but my confidence that I will reach my goal is solid.

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2 Responses to A Disease of the Mind

Lisa Eirene (@LisaEirene) says:

October 8, 2012 at 3:56 pm

Have you gotten new running shoes? Or been fitted at a running store? When I first started I had pains too and I was wearing the wrong shoes (or old shoes).

Katie B says:

October 9, 2012 at 10:38 am

You’re so funny. It is definitely a sickness! I think my wicked husband has talked me into doing the Mercedes Half.