Two Steps Forward and One Step Back

That's what it feels like around here. I would like to say that I have been remaining positive and not letting it get me down, but that just isn't the truth.
Shortly after the last two races I ran, my knee started bugging me. I just couldn't run anymore. I self-prescribed some physical therapy, which I swear was as if I was asking to be given some freaking morphine. The physical therapist asked me about my schedule. I told him I was running 4 days a week, hiking one day and working out with a physical trainer another day. He said that was too much. It didn't feel like too much. It just felt like I was hanging out with my friends.

I got into that place that always spells trouble for me. I think, "Other people can do it, why can't I?"

I was off for three weeks. Here's the low down of those weeks.

Week 1: Pissed off at my body for not being able to do what I want it to do. So I abused it in the form of eating and drinking crap. What I got in return, 2 lbs.

Week 2: Pity party. Why can't I? It's not fair. I am going to do it anyway. Oh crud, that hurts. Yadda, yadda, yadda. (I hate that I go there, but it's the truth.) What I got in return, 3 more lbs. and a half day in bed.

Week 3: Crap! You are about to blow it. Let's get this train moving in the right direction. Enter the all-powerful and amazing elliptical machine! I had a great workout and realized this was only temporary. My PT banned me from running one more week. I made it 6 days but I had already signed up for a Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. I figured I would run it and walk if I needed to. I was able to run most of the time and only added around 3 minutes to my best time. Not horrible considering the three weeks off.

I went back to my training group on Saturday and one of the trainers was wonderful enough to sacrifice half of his run to run with me. He helped me realize that walking was not a sign of weakness and when I was struggling we walked together. I was able to run/walk 6 miles that day.

The past weekend I became a bit more disciplined about it and finished 8 miles. (I ran 5 minutes and walked 1 minute.) That only puts me a week or so behind the rest of the group.

Someday I will get to the point where I can do what so many other people can do. It's just going to take a little longer for me to get there. Some days I am ok with that, other days it irritates the crap out of me. Luckily today is a day I am ok with it.