Since my last blog things have yet again thrown me for a loop and I have had to make some adjustments. I had blogged about how I wanted to become a better "daily runner" and had started down that path. Unfortunately, that path led me straight to what I have lovingly deemed as "Funkytown" and it isn't the fun place that the song leads you to believe. More-so, I have joined the ranks of those "I can't currently run so now I am in a permanent funk" JunkEes. I know you are out there. I see your posts where injuries, illness, life in general have you sidelined and the people around you fear for their lives because you can't get your running "therapy."
I recently was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis (on top of my Psoriasis and Ulcerative Colitis) and I was told not to run until I was on some sort of medication to help with the joint pain. Plus, I am still having issues with plantar fasciitis , which I also recently learned is probably linked to the PA. So my miles had been sparse and my spirit was suffering. Two days after my PA diagnosis, I was slated to run the Monument Ave 10k and my doctors advised for me to skip it. Being the stubborn person that I am, I didn't listen and walked it. It was my slowest time ever and on top of that, it took me longer to recover from it than it did from my half marathon in November. Every joint in my body swelled to at least twice it's normal size and I was left feeling defeated... Since I am no longer someone who particularly likes to wallow in self pity,and I was finding myself doing just that, I had to find a way to change that. I know that the running community, by in large, are some of the most positive, supportive people out there and I didn't want to lose that connection. I started thinking outside the box on how to (figuratively) run away from Funkytown and still be surrounded by positive runners. So, I went to my favorite running store, Lucky Foot and applied for a part time job. I work 40+ hours a week with animals at my family kennel and now I also work a few hours a week with runners. I am exhausted between battling with the autoimmune diseases and working all the time, but my heart and my spirit are happy. I get to celebrate running goals, help new runners find the magic in the misery and in the end, feed my soul with the positivity that runners exude. That is how I got out of Funkytown. Sometimes we just need to figure out how to stay involved in the community when we can't participate. While I understand not everyone can just get a second job, what you can do is volunteer at a race, cheer at the finish line, or even work a water stop for a local run club. Figure out how you can stay positive with positive people in your own way :) Run, Walk, Crawl... or Cheer! -Megan
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