Fitness

“Fitness” for me generally equates to “running” (and occasionally biking); cardio is always my workout of choice.  While I try to get some strength training done every once in a while, it’s much less appealing than going for a nice run.  Possibly because I suck at it.  It’s debatable.  But for the record, I was born with arms the diameter of a chicken bone, so any upper body strength training makes me feel, if anything, worse about my lack of strength.  Core and lower-body are fine, though.

You can read through the archives of my running-related posts here, or by clicking on the word “running” in my category cloud.  I’ve only ever competed in one 5k and two cross-country races, so my “race recaps” page isn’t too extensive, but you can still read about the 5k here and the XC stuff here.

In November 2012, not too long after that first fateful 5k, my knees died.  I didn’t think much of it at the time–it was just a little pain–but within the week it pretty much immobilized me, and I embarked on a 4-month journey filled with highly incompetent medical professionals as they tried to figure out what the heck was wrong with me.  I had to skip out on the second 5k I had signed up for and put my running career on hold.  Even after it got diagnosed (as persistent chondromalatia coupled w/ hip dysplasia), the pain in running was too intense to start back up again; in total, I was completely sedentary for about 8 months.  We got some fancy support shoes with orthotics that seem to help, I started physical therapy and a regimen of therapeutic ultrasounds, and I have to brace my knees when I’m running–but I’m running again, now, at least!  My next 5k is on August 24th, and the 2013 cross-country season has been going on for a while now, despite my incompetency on the team.

http://instagram.com/p/bjeUEHFYvK/

If you’re interested in watching my progress racking up miles and workouts as I train to get back into shape after my running hiatus, please visit my Workout Log!