Day Two Hundred Eighty-Seven: Pull-ups (Modified)

I admit that I have basically no upper body strength. I'm not sure if I've ever been able to do a proper pull-up, even at the height of my athletic prowess back in high school. But this evening, I decided to try the modified version, and I managed to get through four. Woohoo!

Modified pull-ups

Day Two Hundred Forty-Six: Two-Mile Run

Ok, so technically, I have run two miles before. Lots of times actually. But everything I knew my body could do completely reset when I injured my knee, and so I have new old milestones to reach that certainly do feel like Firsts.

I was cleared to start running in January, and it has been hard. At first, I could barely run for a minute. There has been pain (so much pain!) and a few tears. But there has also been fierce determination. By early March, I had worked up to one-mile runs, and could pound them out pretty consistently on the pavement and on the treadmill. Even as recently as Tuesday, though, I was telling Jeff that a mile was about all my knee seemed to want to do and that I was having a hard time moving beyond that barrier.

But, with the knee's blessing, today I finally managed to knock out two miles. Before my injury, I was running about four miles a day, and I'm assured that recovering from this type of injury and surgery generally takes about a year.  I am realistic enough to know that, as I continue to work, there will very likely still be hard days, days when my knee or my mind or both just don't want to or just can't manage to reproduce the results from today. That's o.k. because now I know I can do it. And when you know you've done something once, it's easier to do it again and again. This accomplishment meant a lot to me and truly felt for all the world like a real First (possibly a little better, even, since I had to work harder for it!), and I wanted it on the official record. 

Just put one foot in front of the other until you get where you want to be!

Day Two Hundred Forty-Five: Wine Bottle Workout

This morning I was working out at the house and found myself wishing for some small dumbbells, but all I had was a set of kettlebells that wouldn't work very well for my purpose. I cast a hopeful glance around my surroundings and came up with a solution: full wine bottles. As an added bonus, it was a tangible reminder of one of the many reasons I work out! 😃

Time for some curls!

Day Two Hundred Eight: Elliptical Trainer

I was cleared to start running again right after the first of the year, and even though my progress is much slower than I would like for it to be, I'm so thankful to be back at it. On Friday, I managed to run a whole mile! But since then, my knee has been a little tender, so I decided to take a break from the treadmill today and try out the elliptical trainer for the first time ever because I thought it would be a little easier on my knee. It wasn't exactly the solution I was looking for, but it was a good First.

Day Twenty-Five: Physical Therapy

Today, I became a patient of physical therapy for the first time. This will be my new home away from home for the next few months, leading up to and following my knee surgery. The equipment looks fun and exciting to the casual observer but is actually used to torture patients back into shape. In seriousness, though, I'm glad to have the chance to strengthen my muscles before and after surgery, so that I can have the best chance at getting back to the active lifestyle I love.

photo from Orthopedic Associates website

Torture Chamber 
Physical Therapy Room