Don't Be a Sissie.

I've had this pain in my left shoulder for probably two months now. I have no idea what I did, only it went beyond the normal muscle soreness I usually feel after a weight workout. I finally realized that I was the reason it wasn't healing; although I cut down on the amount of weight I was using, I needed to cut it out completely. It's getting better, but it's slow going. My friends tell me to get used to it, it's just a casualty of aging.

Screw that.

So now I've made several attempts at doing some ab work, and have had this painful pulling in the groin area. I stretch out before, but I can't do them, it hurts too much. The first thing that went through my mind was what my friends would say. Another casualty? Is it time to lie down and accept that my body just can't handle it?

Screw that again. I've recently changed my workouts and have been doing my runs before any other weight work. That could certainly be the reason for the pulling, since I feel the pulling (though not to an extreme) as I'm running. So next time I'll do my weight/ab work first again, and see if this is the answer.

Women seem to fight aging by always saying they are 29, coloring their hair, getting tummy tucks and other body altering surgeries. Pain is chalked up as "getting old" and an excuse.

I say one more time, screw that. I'm 39, prematurely grey and have been running for a year and a half now. Besides these small injuries, I feel the best I have ever felt in my life. It's made me proud of who I am without having to cover up. Running has restored a confidence I had lost years ago. I think it is probably the reason I finally decided to do crazy stuff like this. When you are constantly sweating it out and pushing your body to the max, everything else seems easy.

Growing old gracefully? Hell no. I'm taking on every pain, and I will come out on top. Sweaty, bruised, and happy.