Chris Turner, an occasional guest blogger on Badass Fitness, is not easily deterred. Not even knee surgery is keeping him from staying on track with his #360to30 goals for fitness and health. That's the heart of this Badass Journey - keep it moving, and when roadblocks come, find a (healthy) way to deal.
I'll let Chris fill you all in on the rest, and hopefully provide motivation to any of you facing roadblocks big and small:
Nothing sucks more than getting something started, only to get derailed. Earlier this year I started on my quest to get back into shape, to get back to that point of fitness where I was happy with how I felt and what I saw in the mirror.
Things have been going great. I ran my first 5K in years, became certified to teach on the Real Ryder Indoor Cycle, consistently worked out 4-5 times a week, got involved in a kickball league and had lost about 15 pounds.
Unfortunately, all of that came to a screeching halt a few months ago when I started experiencing knee pain and decided to make a nice trip to the good people at Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic. Turns out, my kneecaps are out of alignment and have been so for my entire life. Options given: Inserts for my shoes, more physical therapy, blah blah blah, and surgery.
I have been down this road before. After knee injuries in high school and in college, physical therapy was something that I didn’t want to deal with again because it didn’t work before. But under the knife I went earlier this month, with the hope that it wouldn't suck too much -- and knowing I will be back. Luckily it only sucked for about 2 days. I admit that the next morning it felt like there was a vice on my knee clamping down, while something was in it trying to expand. But do I think it was worth it? So far so good -- and I go in for the right knee next month.
So where do I go from here? I am sidelined from cycling and running for the next few months. The marathon I wanted to do in December is completely out of the question. All that progress that was made in the last seven months is at a standstill. Out the window, it might seem.
But I am not whining or giving up. My mantra is: Regroup. Refocus. Get to it.
Just because you suffer a setback doesn’t mean you have to give up on everything. So what if I missed the December marathon? That just means I will finish a triathlon in April to make up for it. And honestly, a couple of knee surgeries are nothing in compared to health setbacks I have seen some of my friends go through.
Now instead of doing cardio five times a week, I am lifting weights and working on the upper body. Hey, I lost 17 lbs, my suits barely fit me now (and for those who know how much I spend on suits, this is of GREAT concern). So to the weight bench I go!
The lesson here: Always maintain a positive outlook and don’t allow something to stop you from achieving what you want to do. When a roadblock appears in your path, you can stop and give up, find a way around it, or climb over the damn thing and keep going. It’s your call.
So, to my fellow members of the Badass Army, how have you faced the roadblocks that were placed in front of you?
Next month in #360 to 30: Why specialty fitness equipment shops are worth those extra few dollars.