Motivational Monday - Life Doesn't Always Go As Planned

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     I have both been wanting as well as not wanting to write this post for a while.  Sometimes life has a funny way of working out.  For me that has come these past few months in not exactly the ways I would have chosen.

I've shared part of this before, but for those who don't know let me explain.  Prior to January of this year, I was a girl with a lot of determination, a high tolerance for pain and set on a path of a goal.  Last September, I had a horrible hip flexor injury.  So bad even my high pain tolerance couldn't stand running on it.  In short I had to take 6 weeks off running to heal.  I thought this injury was the worst ever!  I had to pass up on 1 marathon in NH I had already paid for, and I still had 5 more marathons that fall to get through.
After no running for 6 weeks, I went out for a short 6 mile run a week before my next scheduled race and I determined and felt things were okay and I could run again.
I was right, and I ran my 5 marathons last fall, and even pulled off 3 full marathons in 15 days of which the final one I had caught the dreaded flu:(

After that time off and injury I thought that was the worst possible thing that could happen and I was going to take every precaution.  So that something like this would never happen again and I could continue running and working on my goal.  Of course, I could do everything within my knowledge correctly.  But sometimes fate has a different plan...

My injury that I have been dealing with now for 3 months now with pretty much no running peroneal tendinitis wasn't even caused by running.  In fact I had been taking a slow down and huge drop in mileage to recover from everything I pushed my body through last fall.  So I was only running a very few miles a week at the time. However, I had taken a 2nd job and thought I would just buy a supportive comfy pair of flat shoes to wear since I would be on my feet for long hours.
Who would have guessed that those comfy flats would have caused the tendinitis and put me out for 3 months and counting...  (Apparently I should have just kept on wearing running shoes, flat shoes can be pretty bad on the feet.  Especially when you make a sudden change in footwear and standing time:)

I have had my down moments, and I can't even begin to describe my itch to get running again.  But I have forced myself to find ways to stay upbeat about it all.  With that came taking on some different projects.

I own a wedding company, and added a couple of new awesome services this year.  All of which I might not have gotten accomplished and finished if I had been off racing in the 7 marathons I have had to pass up on, that I planned to run this spring.  (Not that I am counting, LOL)

Example of what I do - A wedding me and my company decorated for:)

Second, I started my blog a few years ago as a way to share my 50 state & D.C. marathon journey with those who were interested.  But it was rare I ever blogged other than talking about a race.  I did nothing to promote it or get it out there.
But being laid up with this foot/ankle injury has given me a bit of extra time on my hands.  These past months I have really gotten into it more, addicted really:)
I have also loved following other blogs and have found some amazing ones out there.  I've had a few great opportunities come my way because of blogging, and I am really grateful for not only the opportunity but the skills learned from them.

My blog is not one single stream line topic.  Of course I love running, so I'd say the majority of things are fitness or health related.  I am a wedding planner, so I still share a little on some of the weddings have a lot of fun decorating.  I also love to read and writing, so I like to tie in book reviews here and there.

What are my blogging goals?  I'd love to turn the tables a little and get even more into blogging and see if I could make any income out of it.  Do I know exactly how to do that?  Not exactly:)  I am taking things one step at a time.  But would love it, if I knew someone who was a professional blogger who wouldn't mind chatting with me and pointing me in the right direction.

Third, I have been able to drop 18 pounds since I haven't been able to run.  Sounds funny doesn't it.  Most people need exercise to lose weight right?  Not me, apparently!  Actually it's funny because when I was pushing so much higher mileage and traveling frequently.  Two things happened.  One I was hungry all the time from all the running.  Two, traveling I wasn't exactly eating the healthiest.
I wasn't gaining any weight, but I wasn't losing any either.
But not being able to run, has reduced the hunger which in return has allowed me to figure out healthier eating habits.  That I am now pretty sure will carry through when I can run again and I am hoping to drop even more when that happens!

Last, with being injured I also finally found the time to start getting my book out to publishing companies and try my luck and getting it published.  This will be a long process, that I know.  But its a start, which is more than I can say might have been if I had been out traveling for running all spring.

Life happens, we can't always control it and it may not happen as we would have chosen.  But sometimes things happen for a reason, I believe also so other opportunities can come our way.
I may not have wanted to chose spending all of my marathon travel money on Dr. bills, foot braces, therapy, etc...   But it is what it is and I have a choice, I can be depressed about it.  Or I can find other positive things and goals to work on to carry me through!
Just in case you can't guess, I have been working really hard on going with the positive attitude and finding and making new goals to occupy my time until I can resume my passion of running again!

So tell me, have you had struggles that you thought were the absolute worst when they happened.  But when you look back at them you realize you had other opportunities or positive things happen in your life because of it?

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