Injury Update

Just a quick injury update – I am still not running but the good news is that physical therapy seems to be working which leaves the doctors hopeful we can put off back surgery. Thank goodness for that, right?

On the other hand I have spent a lot of time complaining in the past few weeks. Yes, complaining about the pain and the fact that I seldom sleep but mostly complaining about working in a running store, organizing group runs, and going to running events while not being able to participate.

But today, I vow to stop complaining about this. Today, I realized how lucky I am to be in a community where being injured doesn’t mean I am no longer part of the in crowd. This was brought home to me this morning as I stood at the starting line of the Get Pumped for Pets 5k on the Eastern Shore taking photos and chatting with so many of the friends I have run with in the past few years. Although I would have loved to be running alongside, them I had a great time cheering them into the finish, cheering for the ones who placed and laughing as their competitive counterparts playfully grumped their way through the reward ceremony. I left feeling uplifted and happy.

Tomorrow, I know I will have a similar experience. I am not running but I am back to walking and as such I will be joining the local Moms Run This Town and Fleet Feet joint Monday morning run. I will walk in the back with a couple of other moms who are struggling with injuries and then, because we are both moms and runners, we will stick around and have coffee, bonding because we are, injured or not, always runners.

So, yes, I am still injured but this weekend, I am more grateful than angry. I am grateful to be a part of a community that embraces me, warts and all.