Running with the Hubby..First time

Watching Andy go through surgery on his Achilles Tendon last year was tough. I have had 2 knees surgeries back to back. So I know first hand the devastation in this.
Andy had just accomplished 2 of his dream runs, The CRIM and the Detroit Half Marathon before he ruptured his Achilles tendon, I was so proud of him. Then in just a simple game of church basketball it was all gone.
He knew as he heard it POP in mid air that this was not good.
I was crushed for him. Torn up for him.
He was still a relatively new runner finally getting the hang of this running thing. He struggled almost everyday with IT BAND issues. Yet he never gave up, never gave in and  never allowed the pain of his injury to devour his victory he wanted to achieve.
My husband is a FIGHTER.
And to prove this one step further, he did the surgery WITHOUT any narcotics!!!!
My husband has 6 1/2 years clean from IV drug use.
HE is a FIGHTER!!
He had fought his addiction for 6 years and now he was going to HAVE to have this surgery but there was NO WAY in all of HELL he was going back to Egypt.

FIGHTING all of Hell. This surgery was very painful physically and mentally. Andy, in the last 2 years had lost over 40 lbs working out regularly at the YMCA, biking and running.
He suddenly was laid out on his back,, on crutches, non weight bearing and casted. He lost more than 50% of the calf muscle that for 2 years he had built. GONE. All gone.
His Endurance..Gone
His Stamina..Gone
His Strength..Gone
His Biking...Gone
His Running ...Gone
He was in a PIT.
Psalm 40:2" He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay; And he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings."
 I would pray for God to bring Andy out of his PIT.

Then Spring sprung! Little by little the last few weeks I have watched Andy's countenance start to change.
He started setting goals.
He started exercising again.
He started smiling again.
He started to accomplishing those goals..

I used to love to run with him. We both fed off each others strengths and helped to dispose of each others weaknesses.

Yesterday I got to run with Andy. Smooth and Steady. I could see his strength coming back. His stride was long and purposeful.
I think I smiled the whole way.

4 Mile Run -First Run together since November 2010

Yeah, I was going slower than usual but that meant nothing in comparison to being loving and supportive to Andy. This was HIS accomplishment. And he enjoyed me being there to see HIS success.
This run was a reminder to me what a fighter my husband was.
He does everything he is supposed to do, from icing, to stretching to rolling, his training far exceeds mine. It is humbling to watch how hard he works. He is a good reminder of being up Against the odds and not giving up! My husband inspires me. Who Inspires you??

TWO CENTS WORTH:

• The best way to prevent an Achilles tendon injury is to a) stay in overall good shape, and b) warm-up, stretch, and strengthen the Achilles tendons.
• There are over 250,000 achilles tendon injuries each year in the US.
• A fully ruptured tendon REQUIRES surgery. It will not heal on its own.
•  3-5% of athletes are forced to leave their sports career due to Achilles tendon overuse injuries that go untreated.

Anita