Getting Old Sucks

You would think I was 75 instead of 29.  I went on a run last Sunday, a six mile hike on Monday and then another run on Tuesday.  Apparently, that was all a really bad idea.  I haven't been able to walk without pain since then.  My knees are stiff and weak and hurt like hell!  This is exceptionally difficult because that means that I can't run or hike, or do anything overly active really.  So here's the reason this hits me so hard: my dad was disabled.  He was partially paralyzed from the neck down after suffering from a few strokes.  He went from being an active and healthy man to being trapped in his own body.  He died almost five years ago.  To honor him, I try to stay active.  I know that he couldn't run, so I run.  He couldn't hike, so I hike.  In an odd way, it makes me feel more connected to him.  Losing the ability to do something that honors him is even more painful than my knees.  I love yoga but for a completely different reason.  

My favorite fitness quote is "there will be a day when I can no longer do this. That day is not today."  I certainly hope that continues to be true.  I'm not ready for that day to come just yet.  I want to run a marathon, I want to go hiking in Peru.  So, I went to see an orthopedic doctor who was, as I suspected, unable to really tell me anything I didn't already know.  I guess I have to start going to physical therapy.  I bought knee braces and I'll be trying to take it easy for a while.  I can't really say that I'll succeed given that I have an eight mile hike in Leavenworth with my friend in less than two weeks.  It's supposed to be a pretty intense one too. Let's just hope that Caity won't have to carry me down the mountain...although if anyone would be able to, it would be that girl.  Freaking fit people =/  And the week after that I have a mud run to do for my friend's birthday.  But on the bright side, after 2400 mg of ibuprofen, I was able to go stand up paddle boarding today.  I wasn't very successful at the actual "stand up" part but I didn't lose my prescription sunglasses and I only fell off the board twice.  Which is more than I normally do...especially given that I didn't stand up.  I'm too young to be falling apart!  Let's at least hit the big 3-0 before needing a knee replacement.

Also...I started volunteering and my new phobia is baby birds.  Yes.  Baby birds are terrifying and I'll go into more detail after my first official volunteering shift on Tuesday.