Running! (albeit very slowly)

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For years I focused on flexibility - now I work more on strength and endurance.
Glacial. I don’t think there’s any other term that better describes my recent 8+ mile run. As I slogged along, I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious as runner after runner flew past me. While no walkers passed me, I must confess that it took me a l-o-n-g time to pass the various walkers that I encountered on my loop around the University of Wisconsin campus.

Perhaps you’re wondering why I’m writing about such an unnoteworthy run? While this run probably appeared anything but noteworthy to bystanders, for me this run was a sort of redemption. Running a longer distance was a milestone in rebuilding the resilience my body had lost over the past decade or so.

You see, for many years I focused on opening my body, and as a result, I became very flexible. Because I have the blessing/curse of joint laxity, my hips and shoulders became very, very flexible. While the stretching that built this flexibility usually felt good, I hadn’t realized that I’d let go of running and other activities that I used to enjoy.

Over the past year or so, I’ve been incrementally strengthening my joints and building aerobic fitness. There have been some ups and downs, though I’ve happily enjoyed less knee and back pain. In addition, I’ve been gradually building up my running capacity.

And now that I can run longer (for me) distances, I look forward to passing some glaciers in the coming year!


Comments

PrairieBlog said…
Strength and endurance!!!
November 30, 2015 at 1:08 PM
Running Ohm said…
Keep it up. They compliment each other so well
November 30, 2015 at 3:27 PM
Unknown said…
Oh good, I have another excuse for getting slower as a runner since I have been practicing/teaching yoga 5-7 days a week. I knew it wasn't my age.
November 30, 2015 at 9:17 PM
Sophie said…
Your post inspire me for running. I'm not good runner, but as I see it can be enough just one year to change situation.
January 21, 2016 at 8:50 AM
Adit said…
My brother used to run every day and he has always been a person, who didn't miss his exercise for one day. But, suddenly a day he got joint pain and fracture in his left leg. He tried many things but didn't get fully cured and he was fed up of taking regular medicines. So he tried stem cell therapy for this and he is doing really well now. Moreover, he regained extra energy and stamina from that therapy.
November 23, 2018 at 12:08 PM
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