no pictures please

Yesterday I withdrew from the Philadelphia Marathon. I was planning to participate in the marathon this coming November, but due to the over-healed contusion in my foot (from two years ago), I am no longer able to run the distances I would like to. And believe me, at 23, I'm not ready to slow down, but I will slow down to let my foot heal so that I can pursue more in the future. Playing softball and running in worn out tennis shoes is a large cause of the continuous swelling and pain.

Running a marathon, especially the New York marathon is still on my bucket list, but is not in the cards for 2010. I have to listen to my body and right now, my foot is not happy running over three or four miles. I'm currently taking a few steps back, relying on the exercises and ice massages that my physical therapist taught me after initial injury. My workout routine has changed quite a bit from this time last year. To expel the high amount of energy I have and get my heart-rate up each day, I've turned to spinning. It is a great way for me to concentrate on using the right part of my foot and let up on the consistent pavement pounding.

I'm bummed I won't be running this fall but this period of healing will not stop me from enjoying the seasons changing or slow me down in the gym. A word to the wise: listen to your body, it tells you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.