TheNewYorker
Newcomer
In answer to the question about the last time I did any exercise and how I felt:
The last time I exercised with no pain was sometime in 2011, nearly six years ago, after four months of recovering from my stress fracture. I was doing hard workouts, training for a short road race off an enormous base of marathon fitness, the best race of my life. I came in 11th in a race of 300+ women. I was in such good shape that I was sometimes astounded at what I could do on the track and roads. I felt powerful and successful and joyous. Afterward, I would feel completely at peace. I ran during much of 2012 but there was always pain there, either in my hamstring or my foot or my calf. I raced a few times, but it was with pain and a feeling of dread, and I stopped so I wouldn’t get another catastrophic injury. Since then I have done a little bit of running, always with pain, always getting reinjured as a result. I’ve walked, but again it has been with constant pain. I did some weight work when we got back from <country>, after my terrible back issues, but that seemed to make everything worse and it was a chore. Trying to be active and seeing myself unable to, and getting fat and out of shape, has made me feel beaten, like my life as a healthy, physical person is over.
The last time I exercised with no pain was sometime in 2011, nearly six years ago, after four months of recovering from my stress fracture. I was doing hard workouts, training for a short road race off an enormous base of marathon fitness, the best race of my life. I came in 11th in a race of 300+ women. I was in such good shape that I was sometimes astounded at what I could do on the track and roads. I felt powerful and successful and joyous. Afterward, I would feel completely at peace. I ran during much of 2012 but there was always pain there, either in my hamstring or my foot or my calf. I raced a few times, but it was with pain and a feeling of dread, and I stopped so I wouldn’t get another catastrophic injury. Since then I have done a little bit of running, always with pain, always getting reinjured as a result. I’ve walked, but again it has been with constant pain. I did some weight work when we got back from <country>, after my terrible back issues, but that seemed to make everything worse and it was a chore. Trying to be active and seeing myself unable to, and getting fat and out of shape, has made me feel beaten, like my life as a healthy, physical person is over.
