At the beginning of the year, I took the time and wrote out some things that I intended and aspired to achieve this year. As I amped up my training, I knew that achieving some of these goals would be of epic proportions! Some seemed far-fetched, others seemed silly, and yet others appeared to be waaaay out of reach. Yet, they are my goals, and I didn’t believe that they are far-fetched, silly, or way out reach. As I had written them, I whole heartedly believed that each and every thing that was written was well within my reach and definitely achievable.
2012 began full of promise, although I was nursing a shoulder injury that would not let up, or appeared to not want to heal.
The first quarter of 2012 ended so badly that I lost focus and had to reset myself. I continued to run and do whatever I could when I felt that I was capable of doing so. I still went to Crossfit when I could, I kickboxed still, and I even ran all of my races in March literally gagging and coughing before each race. I had gotten so sick at the end March that I literally could not get out of bed, let alone run or do any sort of exercise without being winded. I had a really bad cough and sinus congestion, that eventually progressed to full blown bronchitis!
In April, I ran in Elk Grove without much incident, but the following week I had committed to running Hollywood with my gal pal Alexis. I should have bowed out of this race. I should have just let it go, and DNS’d it. But I was committed. I should have been committed instead. I was sick as could be. Fever with sweats, coughing, diff breathing … it was BAD … So bad that I broke down and asked a doc to write me a script for antibiotics! I should’ve just let it go. That was the worst “run” ever … But it was fun.
Two weeks after Hollywood, I felt well enough to start training again. Slowly but surely getting back into a routine, although somewhat sporadic. I took the time to start seeing an accupuncturist about my “issues,” and I had finally gone in to see my Physical Therapist, Todd, who diagnosed my “shoulder” problem as a rib joint problem. Wow! Who would’ve thought. So I began working on the exercises that were prescribed to me and low and behold … the pain got better. A LOT better! The range of motion in my right arm had improved significantly and I could even do a lot of the moves that I was “restricted” from doing – such as overhead presses, etc. However … I ran a race at the end of April on uneven pavement and ended up injuring BOTH of my ankles! BOTH! Can you believe it? Although it seems as if I can’t catch a break, I don’t look at it that way. I believe that everything happens for a reason.
May started off with a BANG! I had a really good workout and felt like a million bucks. I could tell that my shoulder was getting stronger. My feet were a slightly different story, but I know that they’ll get better. Aside from running the Diva Half in SF, I have been really good about keeping my feet wrapped, compressed, soaked, and whatever needs to be done to expedite it’s healing. I can tell you that I have forgone any running – even short distances in the meantime. I’ve been rowing instead of running. But I still continue to train. My trainer still pushes me hard during our sessions. He know that I am capable of so much more. He tells me all the time that there IS a beast inside of me, and once my beast is unleashed there will be no turning back. I roll my eyes and laugh at him, and I mutter under my breath during the workouts, “Beast. Heh. Whatever.”
Recently though something’s been happening … I feel that beast of mine. I feel her attempting to escape, to get out. She has been poking her head out here and there … slowly, silently, like the Ninja that I believe I am … I believe that my beast is also. When she makes an appearance it’s subtle … It’s a weight or a move that I poo-poohed never believing that I could lift it or do it, or a race that’s run where I hit an unbelievable time. Recently, she reared her not so ugly head when I was told to do a pull up. Mind you, I could bust out strict pull-ups not that long ago, but in recent years my upper body strength has waned. But … I hoisted myself onto that bar thinking, “Yeah, this isn’t happening …” But I would try. I would try because I had set a goal. I would try because I trust my trainer. I would try because … Because I heard a voice that said, “You can.” Once I heard the voice, the voice that I knew was my Ninja Beast … I did it. And I did it over and over and over … without difficulty.
I’m slaying dragons, accomplishing my goals, one at a time with my Ninja Beast that lays low inside of me. Look out though, cause like my trainer says, when she’s unleashed, there is no telling what I CAN and WILL accomplish.
Running Code 3 