My plan was to go slow and pace myself so that I would be able to complete the race. I tried to stay in the middle of the pack. The problem was, the pack was moving very slow....at least it felt like they were. Half way through the race I noticed everyone was breathing hard and slowing down even more. More out of annoyance then anything else, I decided to run at a faster pace then the crawl I was currently in. I slowly increased my speed being careful not to over do it. As I continued to feel good, I ran faster. Before I knew it, I was lapping the other racers. It was the first time I had ever excelled at something and it felt GREAT! As you can guess, I easily won, earning that ribbon I wanted.
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| 1986 Knowlton School Field Day |
I switched schools when I went to high school. I had every intention of continuing to run, but would have to do it on my own because my new school didn't have a x-country team. I played soccer which I also loved, but in the back of my head I craved the adrenaline that went along with running a race. After taking a year off I tried to start running again. It was difficult now. My knees hurt, they hurt ALOT! The doctors didn't really have an answer as to why they hurt. They were a little swollen, but not enough to be a concern. I, at first, blamed it on lack of conditioning, then I blamed it on the shoes I was wearing, in the end I chalked it up to maybe I had over done it when I was younger, running to much causing some damage to my knees. Whatever the reason, I couldn't run anymore.
Over the years I made numerous attempts to start running again. I was never successful. My knees just bothered me to much and I was afraid of doing something worse to them. I grieved the loss of my favorite sport. I watched as my former team mates went on to excel at running when they were in high school. I always wondered if taking a year off was part of the reason I could no longer run.
Both of my daughters inherited my long distance running capability. Even though they were good, they didn't embrace the sport like I had. It made living vicariously through them impossible! It actually took a lot of effort on my part to let go of my desire to see them run and let them choose for themselves what they wanted to do.
Last year, I started taking Galaxy, and this supplement resolved my arthritis pain! For the first time since middle school I felt I could run again! Unfortunately, this excitement was short-lived. The neurological symptoms from lyme disease set in and I had to accept the fact something was seriously wrong with my body.
I could sit here and be angry about all that lyme has taken from me. I have a lot to be angry about. Instead, I cope by looking ahead. I now know why my knees hurt so badly. Not only do I have a reason for the knee pain, but I have hope that the knee pain will get better and I will be able to run again!
I use to dream about running in the Boston Marathon when I was a kid. Every year at this time, I go back and experience the burning desire to race. In the past, when I dreamed about racing, it was just something that was a lost ability to me. Now, I actually can think about it with hope that MAYBE I will be able to return to my favorite sport.
Next week is a 5k at the Main Mall in Portland for Lyme Disease Awareness my hope is that next year I will be able to walk the 5k. My DREAM is that there will come a day where I can actually RUN in this race!
Lyme disease is a horrible thing to live with. As bad as lyme disease is, it was worse to be chronically ill with no idea as to what was wrong. Now that I have an answer, I can look forward to a new future. Other people with Lyme have gone into remission, why not me?
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