I’ve had to learn how to walk three times in my lifetime. When I was a toddler, when I tore my ACL, and once again when I ripped my meniscus off the bone. The routine is all the same – the weakness inhabiting your legs is debilitating – it’s a depressing and bitter feeling not being able to walk around and perform duties that would are normally a walk in the park (pun intended).
Though I, thankfully, have not had to learn to walk a fourth time, I am learning to run again. In late November, I threw out my back during of post-season strength testing. The pain was unimaginable – nothing like I had ever experienced before. I couldn’t sit, stand, sleep, you name it – without pain. The diagnosis unclear, I began physical therapy to strengthen my core, and was banned from all other workouts. A series of x-rays, scans, and doctors appointments later, I was diagnosed with sacralization of my L5-S1 joint and arthritis among other things. This process, unlike the knee, has a timeline of its own. There have been bad days and there have been better days, however, on March 28th I had a great day. I was able to run again.
Running, though it seems to be the bane of my existence during preseason, is simply one of those activities that releases all the tension from my life. When I run, I feel like I’m on cloud nine, and March 28th was no different. Though the Alter-G provided a different experience than my normal runs along the Hudson, I was enthralled to say the least, that I was able to run again (granted at 80% body weight and at 8MPH).
I don’t know about you, but running is my drug. Running is truly an escape from the harsh realities of the world. Running is how I decompress. the pounding of the pavement beneath my feet, the beating of the music ringing throughout my ear drums, the salty sweat dripping across my brow. This is why I love running so much and why it is such a big deal to me to learn to walk and run again.
Check out this video of me running again in the Alter-G.
