run2I’m one of the few people that enjoys working out.  I think that weight training is a great stress reliever and running is an easy way to challenge myself and measure my improvements.  Well, the running part was true up until September.  Around the middle of the month, I started having some pain in my right leg as I ran and a few days after.  I diagnosed myself as having tendinitis, iced the area, and ran some more.  Still pain.  So, I stretched and stretched and stretched, ran some more.  Pain.

With my illustrious medical background (my grandfather was a doctor), I decided to take a little time off from running.  This week, I went back out on the road.  No good.  Still pain.  So, while I was at the doctor for my yearly physical, I mentioned the issue.  Turns up that I’m a lousy self-diagnoser.  The issue isn’t with the muscles in my leg, it is the bone.  I apparently have a small stress fracture or two in my leg.  The most likely cause is the pounding that occurs when running on pavement.  Apparently this is a common injury that can be prevented by using expensive, soft shoes when on the road and by running on a softer surface when possible.  But prevention is out of the question.  What’s the solution?  Stop running for a while.

bicyclesNow I need to find a good cardio workout that doesn’t involve hopping around (like aerobics) or running.  One option is the elliptical machine at the gym, but I feel like such a soccer mom doing that.  Another option is to take up biking…but this one presents another small issue.  See, long ago, I really thought that biking would be a great exercise for me.  So, I bought a bike, hung it in my garage, and left it there until I sold it about a year ago.  So now I’d have to go to my purchasing department and request another bike.  I don’t think that will go over well.

Boy, this staying in shape stuff is difficult and expensive.  I’m beginning to see the benefits of sitting on the couch.