As I’ve tried to get back to running the focus has been my foot: What state is it in? How much does it hurt? How much can it handle? Am I doing too much? Will I pay the price later? That darn foot has been the limiting factor in having me do what I want to do. It has caused me to stop running way before I’ve wanted to. It has been an obsession.
As the ASTYM treatments continue to have a positive impact on my foot’s health today a new item popped up as the thing holding me back from running: My lungs. During today’s run I was huffing and puffing and wondering if I was going make my goal time of 11 minutes of continuous running. I did finish. And after I finished I was breathing pretty hard and I had to pause to catch my breath.
As I cooled down I realized how good it felt to be working the lungs. No – the foot isn’t cured, but it has improved to the point that it’s not the weakest link…..at least not now. I realized how excited I was that what’s holding me back now will improve with time (and more huffing and puffing and sweat) and won’t require me to ice my lungs, or worry about whether they’re inflamed, etc. The path to running hopefully becomes a bit more predictable. Given that – I realized I’ve never been so happy to realize how unfit I am.
I’m not sure who gets credit for it but I’m sure many of you have seen it and it’s definitely what has been going through my mind:
“Pain is weakness leaving the body.”
I can’t wait for some pain.
Jim
It was The Marine Corp that coined that phrase....I think
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