Running Again

My pregnancy and C section recovery took a toll on me that I would have never anticipated. When I finally started to walk around the house, it was difficult to get around. I had pain in my knees every time I used the stairs. This progressed to limping when walking anywhere. This was deeply troubling because I was so excited to get back to normal. I couldn’t take the pain anymore and decided to see a specialist. I looked up various forms of treatment and finally saw an orthopedic doctor. For some reason it never occurred to me to get a doctor involved initially. Somehow, knee pain and muscle pain went into the category of things I should accept with getting older.

Soap Box Time

If something feels off about your body, don’t chalk it up to old age or normal because a lot of people experience it. If you’re planning to live fully, there’s no time for the status quo. It’s important to take care of yourself. Some common symptoms that people disregard and shouldn’t include pain, headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, blurry vision, forgetfulness, unexplained weightloss, changes in mood, body odor, bodily discharges, bleeding, and anything else that isn’t your normal. Even if something is “the normal” it’s worth getting checked out if a symptom isn’t your normal. I mentioned going to the doctor because people assume they should be dying or that their problem is too small. I’ve seen people die from cancer in 6 weeks from the time they were diagnosed because they delayed the signs that something was wrong. If you prefer going the natural route, that’s fine too, but find a professional that will do a full evaluation to figure out what’s wrong. There’s nothing wrong with getting a second opinion.

Back to the Story

So… I went to the orthopedic doctor and he explained that I was off of my feet for so long that my muscles stopped working properly. He also said that the muscles that were working properly were putting excess strain on my knees. He then referred me to physical therapy to strengthen all the muscles and walk properly. Recovry PT, the physical therapy site, was amazing. After the first session, I was able to do more. After about a month I wondered if I’d be able to run again. I eventually shared my goal with my physical therapist and she encouraged me to start jogging. During the following sessions, she’d watch me walk, walk the stairs, or jog to check my form. The other day she asked if I started running yet and I asked her if she thought I was ready. With her blessing and clearance from the orthopedic doctor, I felt absolutely confident. The next day, I restarted my NRC app for the first time in months. I signed up for the half marathon training and haven’t looked back since. I went from limping every time I walked to jogging for 15 minutes without stopping. You might remember that I tried this training before and had to stop because of my pregnancy. I have 3 half marathons planned this year. The goal will be to complete the 9:1 program for guaranteed entry in the 2024 New York Marathon and complete the virtual 6 program to get guaranteed entry into the 2024 Brooklyn Half Marathon. It’s going to be a busy year of running and it’s crazy to believe that I was nearly walking less than 3 months ago. Let’s do this!

P.S. I want to give a special thanks to Rachel and Dana at PT Recovery. They are both at least 9 inches shorter than me, but whipped me into shape. I spent most of my time with Rachel and she was the sweetest. Physical therapy HURTS, so it helped that she and Dana were so personable and professional. But seriously, physical therapy hurts and I want to encourage you to stick with it, even when it feels like torture. It will get better.