End of the year, part 2

So to finish my end of the year “what did I do” review...

 I had a lot of pretty amazing things that happened. But I would be lying if I didn’t say that so much of the year has left me with a bittersweet feeling. 

I have a feeling I knew deep down that my knee was not ok when I did the half Ironman. I wanted to quit during the swim more than anything I’ve ever wanted to quit. I could not fathom finishing it and I cried through half of it. The river was choppy (thus being called the Choptank), I got kicked and hit by the real swimmers and I got stung by a freakin jelly fish. But damn if something didn’t make me keep going, and I finished with 40 SECONDS to spare. I can’t imagine the regret I would have now if I had quit and not had a chance to complete my main goal for the year. So my bad knee is really why I pushed through and finished it. 

The bittersweet lies in all of it. 

From my knee getting dramatically worse in May, to getting it looked at in June, to hearing the reality of what was wrong, to deciding how to move forward, to running through the month of July knowing they were my last runs, to both surgeries, to recovery...

I’ve cried and have been deeply depressed, and I’ve been happy and felt extremely strong. It’s been a crazy year for me in a personal growth kind of way.
It’s been enlightening and exhausting and overwhelming and scary and empowering...and more. 

I’m decidedly not looking to make any big physical activity goals for myself for 2018. I’ll take what comes and make do with it.
My hopes: I want to be discharged from my surgeons care by the end of 2018. I want to bike outside and swim using both legs. I want to walk to the south street bridge and see the skyline as often as I want. 

I’m grateful for my recovery so far, and will keep a strong recovery at the top of my goal list for 2018. 

What are your physical goals moving into the New Year?

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