Starting To Run Again

Ed's "Starting Over" Story -

The friend of ours that asked us to write about what it was like when we started out running again just went through knee surgery and has been dealing with some serious health issues for years and wants to believe she can run again.  Of course I said, “sure you can!”  I have another friend who was told she’d never walk well, let alone run or ski again, and yet she’s doing both.  Starting over is going to go slow, be tough and at time will seem impossible, but it’s not.  Just keep at it.

I had not run regularly since 1981 and I started over at the end of April in 2009.  About six months before that I was told I had cancer.  My prognosis was good, but that the treatment was going to be tough.  And man was it.  Topping it off I caught some sort of virus, the flu and got a sinus infection at the end of that March and wound up losing 20 pounds in two and half days.  My turning point happened that first day I regained some of my faculties and drove myself to pick up several gallons of Gatorade.  I had double vision so badly from dehydration I could barely aim the truck, but I’m a stubborn idiot and wasn’t going to call anyone for help.  Besides, it was only a few blocks away and I needed it fast.

I had all ready downed one 32 ounce bottle before I got home.  Drank the second one in the kitchen, and then walked up stairs with the third to get back in bed.  The last three steps I had to put one hand down to balance.  When I reached the top I just moved forward onto my hands and knees and collapsed.  I had to rest before I could even go that last 20 feet and climb up into bed.  I remember laying there for a bit and telling myself that the worst was over and thinking, “I never want to feel this weak again.”

A couple of weeks later I started to walk for exercise.  My wife and I always walked a lot together, but it was difficult for me to go more than a couple of miles, so when she was gone working I would make sure to walk a couple of miles every other day.  At the end of that April I tried to run three miles.  Didn’t make it and had to walk at the end, but every other day or so I made sure to get out and try.  I kept a journal (a spreadsheet because I’m a geek) and I’m glad I did.  Hell, I just got to look at it so I could confirm something I thought.  I ran between three and four times a week and it wasn’t until the seventh week that I was finally able to run five miles!  I remember that first month and thinking, “I’m not getting anywhere.  This just feels harder and harder.”  Almost two months of running and I had bupkiss.  I knew then that if I didn’t set a goal and tell people about it I was going to quit.  And I did not want to quit.

The Outer Banks Half Marathon and Marathon finished right down the street from my house and was about six months away.  I could do 13 miles six months from now.  I could, if I don’t quit and keep at it.  So I went online to register and saw something pretty cool.

The date of the races.

I signed up and kept running.  I got some great help from a high school friend of mine named Robin who is an amazing distance runner and was a coach and training consultant.  She, along with the support of many friends and my family, kept me on track through the injuries and discomforts that come when running a really long way.  It wasn’t easy, but sticking with it did something wonderful.

On November 8^th of 2008 I was calling my kids to tell them I had cancer.  On November 8^th of 2009 I ran the Outer Banks Marathon.

One year and one day after being diagnosed with cancer I ran 26.2 miles.

Back when I saw the date I decided that if I could run 13.1, I could walk the other half.  Didn’t matter if I crawled; I was going to do it.  Surprisingly enough I broke 3:50.  Boinked bad the last three miles, but that ain’t a bad time at all.

Top of the stairs, baby.  I am never going to feel that weak again.

 

(This is actually from the next year when I ran the Half.)