Slow and steady is going to win my race. That will be the motto on May 14 on the start line. I won’t have any choice but to go super slow. For one thing since Feb 20, I haven’t got one single real kilometer in the legs and secondly, well it’s a hundred kms. I keep forgetting that minor detail. I have been completely focussed on my injury. Every step I take is an analysis of degree of pain to assess where my recovery is at. It isn’t quite doing my head in but it is probably dominating too much time & space in the cranium.
However, there have also been a stack of moments recently when I have thought of how I am missing running with the D-Mac crew and The Glow Boys. D-Mac crew is a bunch of guys, most of whom I went to school with and the Glow is Seb and Gully, my long run, running mates. These are the facts and they cannot be denied – I do miss all of them because aside from the running there’s a truck load of social chat that goes on as we step, step, step. It’s so social sometimes that you forget you’re running and a couple of free kms clock up.
One door closes temporarily and another opens maybe forever. The amount of people that I’ve come into contact with and the support I’ve received because of the injury has been amazing.
It started with my Physio, Phil. When you walk in not knowing what’s going on it’s very comforting to be in the care of someone so knowledgable, skilled and honest.
My Sports Med doctor Bianca suggested I shelve ideas of doing the upcoming ultra but as soon as she realised I was still keen to attempt it she was on board and giving me a program to get there.
My sister, the nurse, gave some of the best advice ever when Seb and I were wondering about the possility of irrepairable damage. That advice is that unless I pretty much sever my spinal cord, I’m not gonna be doing any irrepairable damge on this run.
People I have never met personally but have chatted with on TNF100 forums have been so supportive and the realisation is that there are many other struggling to get on the start line. We’ll help each other on the day too.
Parents of kids I teach – One today, a podiatrist, said to come and see him if need be. Another last week dropped off an aqua jogger for me to use in the pool. I love that aqua jogger, it works a treat. Others have just been wishing me well constantly.
There’s so many more positive people who keep pushing up and encouraging me to get well and get running. It’s been huge. Today I received a card (see above) from my year 5 class as I left them to go on long service leave. I will carry the card on the run in my pack. When I cross the finish line I will get a photo taken holding that card and send it to the kids. Now when you make a statement like that, you just gotta get it done. We’ll see.
Thanks so much to all mentioned here and the countless others who keep me moving forward.
You are such an inspiration. This is why people are drawn to you to help you in any way they can.
ReplyDeleteRemember, there is a theory that "what you think about, you create more of".
It's time to picture you running this feeling good and well and comfortable - to create this in reality now and for the Blue Mountains.
Picture health, get health.