Reflections from a Long-Awaited Run

Ok, friends, this is going to be close. Thanks to a lengthy work day, I am just now getting to my #30DayWritingChallenge piece. With less time than usual to research content, I'm going with a short personal essay. I hope you will indulge me. And I also hope I make it in under the wire! Here goes ...

I ran today.

Normally, that's not breaking news. I run a lot. Usually 3-4 times a week. When I am training for a half or full marathon, it's five times a week. But today I ran for the first time in over four months.

The last time I laced up my running shoes, I tore the meniscus in my left knee less than a mile into the run. A few weeks later, days before I hopped on an international flight, I had surgery. For the third time. On the same knee.

So, as the saying goes, today was a good day. And tomorrow will be a better one.

This is the third time I've torn the same meniscus. I also blew out my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and had it completely reconstructed two years ago. I'll spare you the details, but just know that the human body is amazing. I now have a tendon doing the work of a ligament and it is rock solid.

Every time you have surgery on a body part, the muscles around said part atrophy and you spend most of your rehab time building them back up again. That's where I am now. Building up my calf and quadriceps so that they look and function like my right leg. Most importantly, they will take the pressure off the knee.

This morning, I decided that today was the day I would dust off my running gear. I've been feeling stronger each day and felt it was time to test things out.

It was about what I expected. Which is to say, rust-filled and with a lot of room for improvement. My breathing was terrible, my form was all over the place, I started way too quickly and my body reminded me of the fun of running on pavement. Well, hello, calf muscles!

But it felt soooo good. The cool fall air, the sweat, the feeling of my legs churning. I have not run a race all year. I usually run about 10 (sometimes dressed like that -->), so it has been very frustrating. But I am committed to running one before the year is out. It'll have to be a short one since I don't have time to train for much else, but I don't care about the length or my time. It's going to feel amazing to be out there again with all the other runners.

If you've ever thought about running, I highly recommend it. It's exhilarating, therapeutic and it gives you a great sense of accomplishment. Run for as long as you want. At whatever pace works for you. If you run, you're a runner. That is the only definition that matters.

If you find yourself in NYC and want to join me for a run in Central Park, feel free to reach out. It would be a thrill to run alongside you. And, who knows, I might even put the elf socks on for you!