I recently had a birthday and observed another year of my life passing by. A decade ago I started running and dropped a lot of weight and changed my life. I stuck with it and thrived, becoming training director for my running club and then president. Great things seemed to be beckoning.
Six months ago I resigned as president after a short tenure due to an inability to get information on suspicious occurrences that centered around the club's IT department and after a series of shocking affronts directed at me personally by the arrogant young turks controlling that department (these alpha 20-somethings disliked me intensely) who were joined by a 30-something lapdog of a VP who was disgruntled with me. These boys were and are in a position of absolute power in the club and were up to no good, in my opinion. They were implacable and insurmountable. Hey, it was a volunteer position, for chrissakes. I am no longer a member of the club and although I wish it well, it needs good luck more than good wishes.
This unpleasantness coincided with an injury that has prevented me from running for the last half year. The weight I kept off for a decade has largely returned. With the aid of a soft "boot type" brace, I have attempted to get back into running, but I can barely run a mile anymore before I feel like I'm going to expire.
It hasn't been a good year, but running teaches you to deal with adversity. Reality is very precise.
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Happy Birthday Peter. Please do not accept this as your fate. You will return.
Happy B'day... Geez, I can't imagine those issues in a running club.
I am sorry to hear about your injury. Though we get set backs like those, we are more than able to spring back. Don't despair!
Happy Belated Birthday!
Sorry to hear it hasn't been a great year. Can you swim and bike? I think injuries are how runners are turned into triathletes :-)
I was going to chastise you for referring to your birthday as another year of "my life passing by" instead of a brand new year opening before you.
Then I read your post and decided to take off my rose-colored glasses and write that I sure hope you heal and can run again soon. Maybe the injury was nature's way of tellng you you shouldn't be the club prez anymore either. Nevertheless, let's try to find something else out there for you.
No doubt about it: that's a tough year! (Plus other stuff you didn't mention in this post!)
Naming losses is part of coping and healing. Good job.
Getting older isn't what its cracked up to be!?! Here's to your New Year: blessings, running, and old and new friends.
Very sorry to hear you have a lingering injury. Not being able to run must be hard. I would guess that you've tried water jogging--if your foot allows you to. Year ago, I took a rock climbing fall and did not return to running for 7 months. You will get there. Happy birthday. Those wishes will come true! :)
Hang in there indeed. Things all turnaround. Injuries suck - for exactly the reasons you mentioned. What about water jogging (the floating kind, not n the bottom of the pool). Is that an option?
Happy Belated Birthday!!
Sorry to hear the injury still prevents you from running much. Are you able to cycle or swim? When I hurt my ankle a couple yrs back I did a lot of water jogging but this time (due to another ankle injury) I've been cycling a lot to stay in shape. Somehow finding a way to stay active otherwise is key, I think, at least for one's mental health.
The wisdom gained with each passing year is a gift, even if we'd sometimes like to return it for something more flattering. Stay focused on getting well and everything else will fall into place.
Happy birthday! Injuries are part of our running life but we can do cross training. We never surrender.
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