Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Garmin Kansas City Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Ambassador. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Ambassador, and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews!
I don’t always know when to back off a challenge.
This summer has posed the biggest challenge health wise than I have dealt with since early 2020. In 2020, I was met with uncontrolled pain and inflammation…which later was diagnosed with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. With meds, I was able to control the RA to a manageable, and nearly remission, state. No pain. No swelling.
Two years later, the “global illness” caught up to me and I tested positive. Since that time, I started experiencing pain and swelling again…it gradually built over the following months to a point over the summer that meds needed to be bumped up to try and gain control back. I am now in month 3 of constant soreness and swelling of my ankles, knees, and wrists. A new NSAID added to my lineup is hopefully going to help reduce the swelling and pain to allow my primary RA meds to take hold.
I don’t easily give up a challenge…so reducing the stress load (physical desires, mental thresholds, etc.) is my goal…without giving up all together. Physically, my body has been given a substantial break from exercise stress, so building back too quickly cannot be the plan. Too much physical stress can most certainly wear on you mentally. Mentally, my plate is full. The what-ifs are in full force…and I don’t have the capacity to entertain right now…
Until a few minutes ago (or rather, a couple weeks ago since I wrote this last month but didn’t post), I was signed up to run the half marathon at the Kansas City Marathon. A race I look forward to every year. While I have run it with an orange BibRave Pro kit the last 5 years, this race has been on my radar long before. KCM was the first half marathon I signed up for many moons ago… I really do oddly love those KC hills.
Until a few minutes ago… Rather than drop out of the race completely, I reduced my registration to the 5K. A distance for KCM I have not experienced to date but my brain and body can hopefully complete.
While my heart is telling me to just drop to the 10K, roughly half the distance, my body still aches every morning…and while an even easier option is to drop all together…every fiber of my being wants to at least toss that line and enjoy 3.1 miles with friends new and old.
While my goals for a running event in October have been greatly modified…that doesn’t stop me from dreaming of doing more… More miles are on my radar. Major miles in the scheme of life. More to come…and miles to go.
Will I see you in KC this weekend?
livinglovingrunner 