Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Day 1 and 2 (Week 1) of my exercise routine went great. I definately felt some unused, hidden, wimpy muscles were being worked. Saturday, Day 3 started out bright dark and early at 6am--a frigid 21 degrees. After my 5 minute warm-up walk I began my first run.

Something didn't feel right. Ouch. What is wrong with my knees?

Just power through it. It'll probably get better if I keep going. It's cold out, but I'm not. This weather is actually invigorating.

Second run, ouch ouch ouch! What is going on?!

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I toughed it out through half of the runs and walked the rest of my 1/2 hour. I was hurting but I just wanted to finish. I didn't think I had pulled anything. I had often struggled with shin splints in high school when I played sports. I always just powered through and then rested.

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6 days later: I've been hobbling around ever since, taking ibuprofen, icing, resting, and it's only getting worse. I finally went to the doctor. I've strained my medial patellar retinaculum-a muscle on the inside of your knee-nothing too serious, albeit painful. I was sent home with a prescription, some exercises to strengthen my creaky ol' knees, and the advice to take extra care to warm up on those cold mornings. Pounding the pavement is hard enough on the knees.

Evidence of God's kindness: the nurse practitioner following the doctor that day shared with me that she knew what I was going through. Active as a teen, she didn't really get much exercise till she started a similar 5k training program at the age of 35, and injured the same part of her knees.

It was the encouragement I needed. I had been wrestling with discouragment all week, wanting to feel better so I could get out and exercise, but being physically unable. Just the fact that I now desired to exercise was evidence of God working in my heart. But I had also been secretly fearful I'd experience a setback in this new venture. I fought to tune out the, "See? Why try? Give up." echoing in my head.

This past week I've come to the realization that I need to trust God even for my body's ability to function and work properly. Silly, because I would have told you I believed God created me and sustained me, but again I was functionally faithless until faced with injury.

I took the first of my medication yesterday, the next dose to come in the morning. All evening I was in agony. I guess it just took awhile for it to kick in. Thankfully it did in the wee hours of the morning because I was literally in tears. This morning when I pulled myself out of bed I couldn't believe the change. I could actually walk! It could still be awhile until I'm back to normal, but each day I feel slight improvement.

Today I am thanking God for many things...that His mercies are new every morning, for reminding me of Truth throughout the lows of this past week, for medicine and the care of the medical community, for a week in which I could rest without too much difficulty in our schedule, and the care and concern of loved ones.

Isaiah 40:31
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary;they shall walk and not faint.

Onward...