Home Again. Acupuncture. Running.

After a LONG drive, we have now finally been home for three days.  Tomorrow we are leaving again to head to Idlewild Park with our best friends, Adam and Mandy, and their two kids, Sam and Ben.  I'm SO excited.  Idlewild is a place that holds lots of great childhood memories for me, and I'm hoping it can hold the same for my children now.  I'd recommend the park for anyone with kids.

In other news, I may or may not continue running.

I'm  not sure how to feel about this.

I went to the doctor yesterday for the pain I've had in my back for years.  I've seen a few other physicians, but this is the first alternative medicine physician I've ever seen.  He found the problem immediately: back spasms - TONS of them all over my back.  He recommended acupuncture - which makes me a little nervous, but I really think it will help me.  Unfortunately, he also said that my running is probably exasperating my back pain.  He didn't really say I shouldn't run anymore, but it was implied.

It makes me sad because I was carving out this tiny space in my head for part of my identity as "runner".

He's right though.  My back DOES tighten up intensely after my runs.  I get a great endorphine rush, but my back is extremely tight as I stretch and recover - always.

Lower impact stuff is good: cycling, swimming - but those things take more prep and more time out of the day and I don't feel that great about that.  I love cycling and swimming of course, but you've got to prepare for those things so much more than just jogging out the door in your running shoes.

I just don't know.

It should be obvious, right?  I should take care of myself for crying out loud.

There is some hope for the future.  Once the acupuncture gets the spasms to stop (which is WILL, while my body can't do it on it's own), I might be able to start running again, because there won't be spasms to exasperate.

I just want to be able to stick to exercising and not give up on my fitness because I'm taking a break from running.  I'm also sad about not being able to do races and such.  I really do enjoy a good 5K.