Having HOPE with this Broken Body

"A man's spirit can sustain his broken body, but when spirit dies, what hope is left?"   Proverbs 18:14

 

 

I wish I could just "WILL" everything to work properly. I wish I could just "Good Attitude" my broken body into health.

 

I have gone from running the Boston Marathon in April to barely getting double digit runs in since.

 

I have gone from 800 meter repeats to barely able to run 800 meters at any pace!

 

Today, was Andy's long run. More than wanting to run for myself I want so badly to be able to train along side him. I wanted to encourage him, coach him and cheer him on to his final destination, (I think is the marathon, he is not telling).

 

I could hear Clint (PT) in the back of my head, "Yeah, you can run, but I would run close to home in case you have to walk back home."

 

14 miles is where Andy was at today for his long run. That distance was NOT an option for me.

Throughout the week I have been doing everything I have been told to do. I have rolled my ITband with tears down my face.

I have iced my knee after every work out.
I have prayed and asked others to pray.

I have doubled up on my Juice Plus.

I have done extra exercises at home even when I totally do not feel like it.

 

Andy had his run all mapped out. It was a 9 mile loop that was fairly flat, then an additional 5 miler. It was half back roads with tree cover, with the other half -full sun down the main roads.

"Anita, the loop I have planned to do is a little over 9 miles, I am not sure you can do it." Andy said with concern.

I replied with Hope, "Andy, worse case scenario, I WALK home."  I then concluded  "Clint said I could run but I may end up walking, therefore it would be wise to stay close to home."

I knew that Andy was going to take those words without arguing with me. The Long Run is not a run that comes without anxiety. This run, although it is ran slow is still very nerve racking. Andy really needed someone next to him. I really needed to be the one he needed.

 

Together we stretched and rolled.

I laced up my HOKA's in hopes the extra cushion would help take the impact for me. I claimed the 9 miles with Christ. Desperately seeking God to keep my body strong. I questioned my reasoning, wondering if it was a smart move to run that distance, after all, I haven't ran more than 10 miles all week.

"I Can Do all things Through Christ Who Strengthen me."

We headed out the door. It was 81 degrees out at 2pm when our feet hit the pavement.

I was not much for words. I was hypersensitive, accessing my knee during every 5 minute interval. Because I have not ran very much I felt more fatigued. I convinced myself that I could run through a empty tank, my biggest concern would be my knee flaring up.

 

I just kept stringing my intervals together. "Andy, are we at 5 minutes yet?" I questioned him on every interval. 

When we made it to 5 miles there was NO Turning Back. I had two options: 1. Run it home. 2. Walk it home.

Andy asked how I was feeling. "On a scale of 1-10, I am feeling like a 4."

I was very grateful we were running as slow as we were. Our average pace was a 9:45. The walk breaks were highly favored and a Godsend.

 

After mile 7, I had a couple moments I thought I was going to end up walking it all the way in. The walk breaks recharged me and offered both physical relief but also mental relief.

 

They gave me HOPE.

 

I did it. Glory be to GOD, I MADE it 9 miles. I was exhausted. My knee was tapped out. I was ever so thankful for those who sent me prayers on my Running against the OdDs Facebook page. Special thanks to Matt L and Rachel D.

 

"A man's spirit can sustain his broken body, but when spirit dies, what hope is left?"   Proverbs 18:14

 

We have the power to give someone Hope. Just a few kind, supportive words can be such an encouragement to one another.

My body feels so broken and foreign to me.

The look on Andy's face before we ran reminded me of why it is important to support one another. Even in my broken state I clung to hope not just for me but also for Andy. He was consumed with fear. The long run does this to a lot of new marathon runners. The distance Andy was going to attempt to run was way out of his comfort zone.   

I needed HOPE. I couldn't afford to let fear of my IT band acting up prevent me from at least attempting to run.

I always coached the kids at school "Strong Mind, Strong Body." If we allow thoughts of defeat and discouragement rent space in our head we will give up before we ever start.

 

 

"Take hope from the heart of man, and you make him a beast of prey"

 



 

 Rundown:

Distance: 9.2

Pace: 10:15

Time: 1: 34

Ice 15 minutes Cold Plunge. I am hurting from the run. But I am not giving up Hope. I will Ice more, Roll more, Pray more, and do More Exercises. I just want to RUN.

 

Anita