As the new year approaches I have been thinking a lot about how this year has been for me. It was this time last year when I could no longer ignore my pain. Waking up to the excruciating pain in my lower back was something I never experienced before, it wasn’t “normal” by any standards.
And because of this pain I stopped doing so many things I loved. I missed the annual Vancouver Sun Run, which the previous year I had ran just under an hour, pretty good for my first ever “run” of any length.
I had been lifting weights, doing Zumba, hiking, biking. I even got to the point where I could do standard push-ups, about 20 without falling down. I was I’m the best shape of my life, and then all of that stopped.
I stopped because I thought the pain would go away. But no, it only got worse. And worse, and worse.
This year will be different. I am determined. I am determined to build up my stamina, my strength, my flexibility again. I will be in pain regardless if I am running, doing Pilates or lying on the couch. I just can’t let the pain get to me so much anymore, I need to put my body to use again. I need to feel those endorphins, I need to feel that sense of accomplish.
I am so determined.