Playing Catch Up

This is a totally new arena for me... I have never really liked to write but I feel like this is something I need to do and will eventually start to enjoy. Some of you may know that in the past year and a half I took up with running. 2 years ago I would have probably bet against everything I own if you would have told me I would be running and actually love it. Guess what?! I would have lost.

It all started with running a mile or two here and there with my sister, Terra. She had ran a 5K before and ran to exercise but nothing more than that. We decided that we should start training for the local "Cotton Row 10K" in May, so that is what we did. I am not sure when the love affair with running started but mid-March 2012 we decided we would be running our first half marathon in November. Each day we would check off another run on our list getting closer and closer to our races and continuously registering for more! (More on our races and accomplishments later...)

Fast forward to February 2013...

I registered for the Oak Barrel Half and had been training since mid-January. I was enjoying getting back to the groove of training and on a schedule, but not loving the treadmill so much! One Sunday I went out to the park for my 8 miler and something just did not feel right. I thought my calves were going to EXPLODE, my feet felt like they were falling asleep and this all happened before I made it to one mile. I tried to "push through the pain" and ended up only running 3 miles that day. I decided I could do my 8 miler the next day and didn't think twice about the "pain". The next day I didn't make it to a mile and the same pain came up along with knots on my calves. I got referred to an orthopedic surgeon and had an appointment that same week. Little did I know I have what they call "Exertional Compartment Syndrome". (http://orthopedics.about.com/od/overuseinjuries/a/compartment.htm)

My doctor said I could have the fasciotomy procedure done or I would have to stop running. Stop running was something that I did not want to do... I mean one of my goals this year was to run a full marathon. I wasn't ready to stop or find something else to do. I felt like I still had a ton of miles left to run. On the other hand though, he was going to cut both of my legs in very visible spots. I literally thought my nerves were going to take over. I was caught between not being able to do something I love and my legs being cut up and scarred.

I chose to have the procedure after going back and forth, googling the procedure (which I don't recommend), and searching runner blogs on the recovery from the surgery. All the feedback I read was brutal which freaked me out more, but my doctor really helped me understand what was going to happen and every step we would take to make sure things that I read would not happen to me. My procedure was this past Friday so I will have an update soon on recovery and how the scars are shaping up... I am too chicken to look at them right now!