According to my marathon training plan, this week's long run is 9 miles. Being that I my 7 mile run last week went so well, I was cautiously optimistic about today's run. The first 7 miles went great! I was even writing this blog entry in my head. It was titled Nine Miles, Baby! And it was all about the euphoria that one gets during a good run. And I was planning my next week's 10 mile run. The funny thing about running, however, is that we are all one step from having to throw in the towel due to injury, cramps, or hitting the proverbial wall. You never know when it might happen. I guess it could be a metaphore for life, right?
So, yeah, it happened. My stupid IT band (knee) injury reared its ugly head right at about mile 7. I stopped, stretched, walked, then ran again until it hurt again (which was about 100 yards). Then repeated several times until I made it home, defeated. Total mileage: 9.2 miles. Miles run: 8.0. DAMMIT! Betrayed by my stupid body AGAIN. Why? Why do you do this to me? I take pretty good care of you. I sleep 8 hours a night. I am fit. I don't smoke. I don't drink much. And other than my peanut butter/chocolate/Pepsi addiction, I eat pretty well.
I know you non-runners out there are wondering why I even bother. Why am I obsessed with running, when it is clear that there are better fitness options for me? Well, there are a couple of things at play here. The first is I don't like to be told that I can't do something. That makes me want it even more. It kills me that I signed up for the marathon a few years ago but had to quit training mid-summer due to this very IT band issue. The second is obvious to any runner. We don't like to not run! Biking and rollerblading just isn't the same! I guess there is something about the simplicity or purity in running. And the rhythm of putting one foot in front of the other over and over. A non-runner wouldn't get this. And when I say runner, I don't mean to imply a marathoner or anything. A runner is someone who runs because they want to, and has a better day because of a run. Most people hate running when they first take it up. But keep at it. In a few months, you too can become addicted.
I spoke to my favorite pathologist again today. I was trying to re-schedule our meeting so that she wouldn't have to come in while on vacation. We had another good conversation. She again re-iterated that although it happens periodically in other labs, this was the first time they had reversed a breast core biopsy diagnosis ever at this lab. I gave her my blog address so that she could see firsthand how that went for me. But I get it. She was at a conference over the weekend where she actually ran into the pathologist at Vanderbilt who read my third opinion slide. I'm getting around, aren't I? Well, at least my breasts are. At the conference she also went to a presentation on how difficult it is to classify low-grade breast cancer pathology. She is going to give me a copy of the paper, since, as she put it, I am the most well-informed patient she has ever talked to. So there.
I just found out today that Claire has not been doing her homework for about 3 weeks, when I found all of the papers crumpled up in the bottom of her backpack this morning. I think I need to get back to being a more active parent, that's for sure. I wonder what else my kids have been up to in the past couple of months!
Life is starting to look good again. My leg still hurts a little and I don't know how next week's run is going to go, but at least I'm mostly healthy, my kids haven't done anything too terrible lately, and the sun is shining. And I have peanut butter and chocolate chips waiting for me.
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