This morning, a nasty, muggy August-in-Houston morning, I finally finished a 5K after 5 months of pain and recovery. It wasn’t fast or pretty, but it was complete, and without pain.
It was a long road full of pain, depression, frustration, and fear. There’s nothing worse than working hard for something, only to have it slip away, and have to fight for it again. But people do it all the time. For some people, it’s their health, wealth, or love that they lose and have to find again. For me, it was my ability to run – I know it’s insignificant in the big scheme of things, but it had become a big part of my life, and I really missed it. Worse yet, when my mom turned 40, her fibromyalgia symptoms began to set in, and she’s been fighting it ever since. I kept wondering if this was the beginning of it for me. Am I destined to spend the rest of my life in pain the way she does?
If it hadn’t been for E.J., I don’t think I’d have made it back. There were plenty of times when I could have given up – on the diet, the exercise, and all of it. It felt like every time things started to get better, I’d hit a setback. But he was my rock the whole time – he really listened, and didn’t judge. He just kept helping me find solutions and new things to try. I think having that support is the biggest key to success when we set off on a really big challenge. We’re all going to stumble and wonder if we should just give up. But the worst thing we can do when we feel that way is to keep it to ourselves. Tell someone – a friend, a family member, or even a supportive group online. Just talk about it. First, you’ll often find that what you’re feeling is normal, and even common among your peers, and second, you’ll find ideas and inspiration that will keep you moving. Sometimes it’s backward, or sideways before you go forward, but no matter what, keep moving.
