The bottom of my feet

When it rains it pours; at least when it comes to my middle-aged man “ouchies” like the bottom of my feet.  I injured both of them about two months and they're healing slower than I'd like.  

My aching bottom feet announced their presence the following morning after a gym workout consisting of heavy barbell squats and a test one-mile run on the treadmill.  I hadn’t done much running up to that point choosing instead to do other tough anaerobic training for my cardio conditioning.

But I got an itch and tested my one-mile time on a safe treadmill surface and really put my pedal to the metal in a timed effort.  Seems like I ran a decent time but paid for it the following morning. I’m still paying for it with sore bottoms of my feet.

Once again when it rains it pours because recently I’ve also added another “ouchie” that’s keeping me on my major league disabled list.  It's something below my right knee that “arrived” almost a month ago as I was rising from a rock bottom position while doing a heavy barbell squat.

So maybe both episodes and injuries are whispers from my wiser power that I’m getting older.  Perhaps I shouldn’t be doing some of this tougher fitness training stuff.  But I've really enjoyed it and the challenges of testing my limits.    

“What’s the point” I tell myself when pondering the stuff I’ve done in my recent training past.  I’ve enjoyed chasing heavy loads in my strength training – well at least heavy for me.  These heavy loads are so seductive but just like a naughty lady of the night, perhaps they’re better left for someone else than me.

There’s one good thing about being on the disabled list; it gives me much time to ponder about this and that.

Is it time for me to throw in the towel doing this stuff and instead start improving my game of checkers?  How about joining Toastmasters International and mastering my public speaking skills? I could also start being a weekly regular at the nearby church bingo hall.

A big fat middle-aged man yawn and "heck no" is my initial reply to all three of these ideas!

Well I know Father Nature is a great healer but at this point in my life, He requires more time to do the wonders of healing me.  Waiting will test my patience and that’ll make me a better middle-aged man.

There’s always an upside lesson to be learned in a downside experience of a training injury and I’ve learned mine – I’m only as strong as the bottom of my feet.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum