Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Are we there yet?

Most you have hopefully forgotten that at the beginning of 2011 I set a goal to walk 700 miles. Oh, you remembered? Well, then I need to catch you up! As of October 19, 2011 -- 10 1/2 months into this challenge, I am at mile marker 450.



You could look at this two ways:
1) Gee whiz, girl, you better get a move on; you still have 250 miles left to go! What's taking to long!?
2) Wow, that's awesome, you're over half way done and you still have some time left! Go for it!

I go back and forth between these two all the time. I know I'm a little off of meeting my goal. I thought by now I would have been zooming past mile marker 600. But then I have to remember that for the past 8 months, my feet have been in pain every day and I just can't walk long distances. I have to give myself a break from this standard I've been holding myself to. And then I think, "Wow, it's pretty great that I've walked this far!"

Since February I have seen physical therapists, a podiatrist, a neurologist, and my general doctor. I've had x-rays and MRIs and an EMG (not on my feet though). I've done yoga and pilates as encouraged by these professionals and I've also tried acupuncture. I've purchased new shoes and two different types orthodics.

I'm tired. And no one really knows why this is happening. I hear things like "my core is too weak" or "you are wearing the wrong shoes" or "it's mechanical" or "it's just how I am." None of these really sound acceptable to me. But it is probably a little bit of all of the above and then some.

Some days are worse than others and if I reflect back to the pain I was having in March and April, I am doing pretty well by comparison. So, I'm choosing to look at these last 450 miles an accomplishment rather than a failure. And remember --  I still have time left!

1 comment:

Sarah said...

1. You eat healthy and are constantly thinking about your health.
2. You get physical exercise on a regular basis.

You are doing fabulous! Bumps on the road like your feet pain are just that - bumps. You'll get past it eventually.

I would say (because my advice is sooo wonderful) that you should just keep trying different things to fix it. Eventually you'll (hopefully!!) find something that does the trick and my bet is that it will be something unconventional... but it will work for YOU.