Laced on the shoes and took a run on a gravel track nearby. I like it better than concrete or road running or dancing as I like to call it. I am one of those runners who is propelled by music. Because I am a vintage female, I currently prefer vintage music, that I grew up with for running. The BeeGees, Andy Gibbs greatest hits, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The Four Tops, I think you get it. I grew up in the 60s. The fine gravel track I find to be easier on the joints; at least I seem to have more running aches when I run on the road.
When Ben started running with me, he installed on our phones, the Running App by NIKE It records GPS mapping, provides verbal cues as to how long, your pace or what time has elapsed. It keeps all our runs together, and we also can see each others times and miles. Competitive? Yes of course but that keeps us running. We even have "friends" we are connected to in the program and can challenge them and see how it progresses. Theres a coaching tool as well, so if you are not currently using a program, we are very happy with this. You can pull up runs you made on trips or vacations and you can see the geographic area on a map and where you ran. I love it. ASICS also has one I have tried, but being the vintage girl I am, I prefer what I started with and know and love. Both are great motivators and ASICS sends you reminders when it is your day to run.
Yesterday in my opening blog, I wrote about the challenges of receiving from a significant illness, or just trying to get "Up and Running" for the first time. Its all the same. I know, I have done it both ways. I began running while my elbow surgery healed, and saw how my body changed and how I became stronger and healthier with the passing of time, as well as miles. Remember, I had never been a runner. Then I had right knee surgery for a torn meniscus....again after recovery, training starts off as baby steps again, walk, walk faster, walk/run, run/walk, to running, to running longer and more miles. So here I go, slowly revving up, taking a few fitness classes at our local health club, when during a class I felt like I had taken a bullet to the left forehead. I almost had an out of body experience when it happened and to make a long, miserable story a shorter one, I was found to have torn a blood vessel in my brain. Yep, that sucks. I had no idea how much....I know now. I had a Subarachnoid hemorrhage. I had a lot of blood in my head, and my Cerebral Spinal Fluid looked like pure blood. What I also didn't know, or appreciate was how debilitating having your brain and nervous system poisoned by blood where it should not belong. Toxic. Yes, sick, painful, interfered with talking, walking, memory, .....yada yada.......well, I was very sick for one full year. I cried when the year anniversary rolled around cause although I was better, I was not better enough to suit me. I lived between the bed and the sofa. One of my Doctors told me it could take up to 2 years for the blood to break down and be removed from the space around my brain and spinal cord. I was patient for year one, year two was better physically, but I had trouble with the pace of recovery. It was not fast enough. I did not really totally feel alert/awake until after 2nd year passed. The reason I am getting into this is even though I had worked hard to be a runner, even though I had loved running, running in different places, and competing in 5Ks, I now was convinced I would not ever run again. My body, my brain, did not need that kind of stress or activity. I convinced myself I would rather not chance any more injury or tax my body that much. I was good not running. I could walk now. That was great. I was told when my balance improved I could ride a bike. Fine..... or so I thought
The passing of time seems to soften some of the edges. I liked how running, made me feel exhilarated, alive! So, one foot in front of the other I started out again. I did not ask if I could run of my doctors. I was going to try first! I walked, walked and walked. Walking helps the brain to recover my doctor told me. A friend from high school who had been in a serious car wreck, sent email advice to me to walk, walk, walk. "Walkin'William" via Facebook that helped encouraged me through the tough spots. Once that felt ok, I had to try. I went to the walk/run, repeat for weeks, with music of course. The better I got at it then I switched it around to run more walk less, or run/walk. Now I run. I ran 4.5 miles this morning, to Andy Gibb's Greatest Hits, and enjoyed it but its getting about time for me to find a new music to "road dance" to. Now you are caught up to who I am as a runner, how I got here and next post I will share where I am going with this.
I hope you will come along! Kate
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