Admitting my limitations...

I am totally bummed here but I just have to stop lying to myself. Bottom line is that my back will not allow me to run. I've tried over these past couple of weeks and my legs and stamina will allow me to go to great strides but my back won't. Had back surgery 3/31/05 on two herniated discs that were pressing on nerves into my right hip and leg. I'm sitting here in mild pain - pain in hip socket and with pain/tingles/numbness running down my right leg into my foot and toes and I just have to say "WHEN". I hate this. I hate to admit that I cannot do something especially when it is something that I love. I do love to run. I love the feeling. I love being able to challenge and push myself. But the bottom line is that the jarring on my skeleton is just too much. While I shouldn't take this as a defeat and it should be a merely a learning experience but it still feels like one for the moment. Bottom line is that years of obesity, lack of activity, a couple of fender benders, etc have left me with some damage that might not allow me to do all that I want to do. I just have to accept my limitation. And man that just plain BITES. So I'll be altering my workouts to fast walking and challenge and push myself in that capacity. I'll work on strengthening my core muscles and my leg muscles especially in the right leg and I'll move on. At least yesterday I could run a 5K distance and it felt damn good. Kathy

Kathy, I understand completely! I know I'll never be able to run, too many years of obesity and inactivity. I do the fast walking thing now and it feels great, but, even that gives me the hip and back pain from time to time. It is easy to feel discouraged to know I'm doing so much and yet my body aches. But, I do know that it is important to keep moving and to listen to my body about what I can't do. I work with a trainer and have had to tell him when he gives me something that makes my knees worse. He is a young guy and I'm not sure he always understands, but, who cares? I can't be crippled! We need to do what we can...pushing ourselves for improvement and fitness...but knowing that we can't do everything. Lori

Wow, that does bite, Kathy. But like you said, you just have to listen to your body. What about swimming or biking? Do you think either of those would cause you any pain?