Challenge Accepted

Warning: This is a really long post. But, no one is making you read it! :)

So, I ran in high school. Kinda. I ran cross country my freshman year, and I was pretty good. I started off really slow, but I kept beating my best time until I got fast enough that I would sometimes run in varsity races. I totally loved cross country.

I ran track my freshman year as well, but started to have intense pain whenever I would run. I remember on particularly miserable race from that season. I was running the two mile, and my legs hurt so bad that I started crying before the race was over. Yuck. My pain started out similar to shin splints, but got increasingly more severe and started encompassing more of my lower legs. It was quite miserable, actually.

So I started going to the doctor so I could get all better! I went through a lot of tests, some more painful than others. I had a lot of bone scans and MRIs, and we weren't learning anything. Then I was tested for chronic compartment syndrome. The test for that was terrible, not gonna lie. They poked my legs with so many different needles to test for the pressure in my legs before and then after I went for a run.
But, that ended up being the issue!

Post-operation :(

I think I was diagnosed with chronic compartment syndrome right around track season of my sophomore year. So it took about a year to figure out what my issue was. We scheduled surgery for the second day of my junior year, which is a story for another day.

 One of the great things about this trial was that I joined the swim team! Because I was unable to run, I joined the swim team. On my first day of practice, I couldn't swim to the other side of the pool. I was a terrible swimmer. Haha. I got a lot better though, and now I know how to swim and not just doggy paddle! I made a bunch of awesome friends on the swim team too. Swimming was a great experience, and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to join the swim team. I swam my sophomore and junior year, which I never would have done if it weren't for my leggies.

Recovery from surgery was a slow process, but I was able to race at the very end of my track season junior year. It was so rewarding when I was able to run again.  I raced cross country my senior year which was SO much fun! I absolutely loved cross country that season.  We went to Tempe and raced at Nike Cross Regionals, which was an absolute blast. Not being able to run with the team for so long made me so grateful when I was finally able to run.

My team at Tempe! :)

But then my pain started up again. I couldn't stand running anymore because it hurt so bad! That was so incredibly frustrating, since I was loving running again.

There are four compartments in your lower legs, and I had only had two of the compartments released. After a lot more tests, it was decided that it was those last two deep compartments that were the issue now. I had surgery again a few days after I graduated. Because they were the deep compartments, the surgery was more intense and it took even longer to recover. I have still not really gotten back into running. Running is still not pain free for me, and I'm not sure if it ever will be. But I love running! 

So here is where the challenge comes in.

I have signed up for a 5K next month! Lame, I know. Haha. Especially since my beast of a roommate Johanna ran a marathon yesterday! And totally dominated it, might I add. But a 5K is a big deal for me. I haven't run a 5K in over two years, I think. 

I have already gone for a few runs since I have signed up for it! So the challenge here is that I won't give up on running, even if it hurts sometimes. Because as I build up my muscles again, I am hoping it will become less painful. And then I will finish the 5K! I won't worry about my time, I will just race again. Then I will keep running. :) My brother and Johanna have signed up for the 5K with me-what great friends I have! 

So here's to late night runs, sore muscles, and conquering a mental block against running! I will finish the 5K that is in 5 weeks and I will love every moment I spend running. :)