You've Got an Arrow in Your Butt and Other Unexpected Life Events

If you have not seen the great American classic film, Shrek, then you simply will not think that title is funny, but me, I love that title. I have also seen that particular movie more than I would like admit. 


Incidentally, I always wanted to use the word "butt" in a title, and now I have. That makes me truly happy. It is the little things...are my standards too low? Nah!


So, life shoots an arrow in your butt. What now? My plans are well-laid, ducks in a row, eggs in the basket, yadda yadda yadda. Why do these things happen? And why does it surprise me when they do? Does this mean I should simply stop planning and let life fly me by the seat of my pants wherever the wind takes me? (Why, yes, yes, I am trying to fit every tired old cliché I can possibly think of into one post. You caught me. Red -handed...haHAH, score!) 


I do not think this is the answer. 


Most of the disturbance associated with these plan changing life events (such as butt arrows...i'm just sayin'...), is entirely MENTAL. Yes. Yeeessss. YES! TOTALLY. MEEENNNTTTAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL (gasps for air)...LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. (not really gasping. I run long distance people, I have way better lung capacity than that, but it looked funny, so I went with it. I amuse myself. Greatly)


I digress. 


I am sure somebody SOMEWHERE said that 99% of everything is attitude. I just don't know who, and yes, that is yet another cliché. But one full of truth. As much as I would like to whine and point at all the things that have to change and all the work that has to be done because of said life events, the biggest and realest (I know, but it helped with continuity) problem is how I respond, both internally and externally. *sigh* So not what I want to hear when my party is pooped, my feathers are ruffled and my butt done got an arrow stickin' ouuta it. 


And, as much as I want to yank out those arrows and get back to my plan, I look back on my life...and know that many of the best things that have happened are the direct or indirect result of a butt arrow. What wonderful things, people, experiences, and knowledge I may have missed out on if I had not experienced the pain of the arrow. 


So, the next time life throws you a curveball or a big ol' bunch of lemons, I hope you think of me and my butt arrow blogging. (all these clichés may be crossing the line...I did it AGAIN.)


To those of you who don't have any clue what I am talking about or what all these parenthetical rants raves sidebars are all about, don't worry, it is not important. I am just weird. To those of you who do (and I have a feeling I know who that is), well, as you know, I am weird. Sooooooo, I guess the point to those who get me and those who don't was one and the same. Redundancy is my middle name (TOO MUCH, I tell 'ya).

Running to Stand Still

It is no secret that I have been on a mission to get my physical self into shape, shed some unwanted pounds, tone some muscles, you know, the usual thing people do every January for a couple of weeks and then slip back into old habits and forget all about it. Except that I started back in June. And have actually stuck with it. And rediscovered my long-forgotten enthusiasm for running. My husband and I signed up for Fort Worth's Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, and the rest, as they say, was history. I signed up for several more 5Ks that very weekend. Since Thanksgiving 2010, I have competed in three more 5K races and signed up for at least one per month for the next several months. Running has given me much needed alone time, helped me to be motivated, and provided much enjoyment. Then...it happened. The week of Christmas, my left knee started to ache. I iced it and elevated it, even gave it a few days off. Then, I went back to running, reducing my schedule from 6-7 times per week to 4 times per week. I mixed up my training, alternated surfaces, rested my knee, took care of it...and ran for a couple of weeks and a race, without any major issues. Then last week, I ran on Tuesday, a particularly discouraging run, as the temperature was so frigid, it felt as though I could not get a deep breath, and my knee was hurting. It was so bothersome that I have taken a week (!!!!!!) off from running (chafing at the bit the entire time. I NEED to run). Well, Sunday and Monday I had no pain, so I thought, "Great! Tuesday morning it is." Guess what? I woke up Tuesday morning with knee pain AND a burning sensation over the top of my knee cap. So, now I do not know what to do. I cannot stop running. I will not stop running. But, recognizing my limitations and the need for my knee to heal, I want to train through this minor irritation carefully and intelligently. The pain is minor, thankfully, but my worry is that I will damage something if I run on it while something is obviously going on with it. The biggest issue I have with this is, "Why now?" Why, when I find some exercise (besides karate) that I actually like, does some issue come up to prevent me from doing it? My gut and my heart and my body tell me to RUN. Pushing my body to its limits of speed, endurance, and energy is exciting and stimulating and confidence building. My life is pretty tame, well, as tame as can be raising children, that is. A healthy, exciting, and stimulating activity that is socially and morally acceptable is rare. When you find something you love, you should hang on, right? Or is it let go? Maybe I am over thinking this, but who wants to keep running on a sore knee, only to have some doctor somewhere tell you, "If only! If only you'd rested it...If only you had stopped running...If only you had not been so stubborn! Now, you will never run again!" I realize that is a tad bit over dramatized, but seriously...Who wants to inflict further damage on some body part that you gotta keep using for (hopefully) many years to come? I have been trying hard in my life to listen. Really LISTEN. To people, to my body, to GOD. I am here to tell you that  1. I am unsuccessful most of the time (Why did GOD give me the gift of gab if I am supposed to listen? I mean, really...) 2. it is really, really, really, REALLY hard to listen and not be thinking of what I am going to say next 3. that people ask me if I am okay when I am practicing listening and not jabbering (I do not think this is a good sign) 4. ummmmmm...what was this blog about and how on earth did I get to this lame numbering thing? *reads back over what she has written, snaps fingers, says "AHA" (not really on the finger snapping and AHA part)*

So, listening ties to running - it really, really does...somehow...oh yeah, listening to my body. And, sorry left knee, but this body wants to run. Quit yer complaining and meet me on the trails (well, it might be more convenient if you just went with me, seeing as how you are attached and all, but it was a little more dramatic to say that, okay, left knee? Are you even listening?).