My Cross Country Season’s Somber Beginning
Today’s post is a little more serious than previous ones. I promise to amp up the optimism tomorrow! But in case you didn’t know, I am a cross country and track athlete currently on a collegiate NCAA Division I team. In May, I completed my freshman year with a 10k in the outdoor track & field conference championships. Today, I would/should be moving back to school to begin our team’s fall training had I not had this major surgery last month.
After the surgery on the left side of my face to remove as much of my venous malformation as possible, I was left extremely swollen (as to be expected with any surgery this intense). I was told not to engage in any physical activity for at least 3 weeks. Do you know how hard that is for an exercise addict??! That is like telling me to give up coffee! It was a tough situation: I need to heal to be able to run; I need to run to be able to heal.
I’m finally breaking out of the sit-wait-hope phase – yesterday I jogged for the first time in over 5 weeks! Granted, it was two very slow miles. A “warm-up” to my usual workouts. But it was more than I had run in a month, and I didn’t have any pain so I can continue to build up from here!
I’m sad to be missing out on the team activities, practices and bonding that will be going on at school for the next 9 days while I stay home and continue to heal. I feel like a benchwarmer. Except I’m not on the bench…I’m not even in the stinkin’ ball park! It has made me realize how much running is a part of my life. It’s something I’ve done EVERYDAY for 5 years, of course it is a part of my heart. High school races were such a rush… the ones where I broke a personal record or beat someone I didn’t think I could – I STILL look back on those with pride.
I am positive that there will be more races like this in my future. No doubt I will have to work overtime to play catch up, but I’ve done it before and I know I can do it again. I can’t wait to be reunited with my school and my team <3
(*These pictures were all taken before the surgery. I am not using post-surgery photos of my face until it has healed much more.)
Posted on August 16, 2012, in Fitness, Real Life Stuff and tagged athlete, college, Cross Country, hurdles, Injury, Inspiration, Motivation, obstacles, photography, racing, running, surgery, Track. Bookmark the permalink. 9 Comments.
I hope you heal up quick..
Thank you :)
Here’s to a speedy recovery.
Hope you have a speedy recovery! :) Before I got pregnant I was an “exercise addict” too. I have had to slow down dramatically and it is making me crazy! I went from running about 25 miles a week and doing p90x in the morning to just walking….I am ready for this baby so I can get back into my routine! :)
Thank you very much. : ) Aww soon you will be jogging with a baby stroller!
I hope you heal quickly! Can’t wait to see what you look like post surgery especially since you’ve always been so pretty anyways!
I nominated you for the Liebster Award! :) http://healthnutnutrition.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/nomination-for-liebster-award/
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