This story is the second part in a four-part series about our Halfsy Hero, Michelle Paxton. Our series will follow Michelle and three other heroes as they train for the November 6th Good Life Halfsy.
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After a sudden back injury, Michelle’s running shoes were out of commission for a few weeks.
She sought advice from local health professionals, took a break from her 6-day-a-week running routine and tried not to be nervous about her recovery.
Last week she went for her first run.
“I started out walking and felt good,” Michelle said. “I thought, ‘Do I try to run?’ I looked around, and then jogged a block. I felt great! No pain!”
Michelle said when she got back from her run, she quickly texted her running friends saying: “I’m back! Happy Michelle is back!”
While Michelle said she knew it was good to give her body time to heal, it was also difficult. Running is part of her lifestyle – it helps her organize her thoughts, sort through her day and even problem solve. When she’s not running consistently life feels a little out of whack.
She laughed a little about the fact that she has so many things to be thankful for – her family, health, friends – and while running isn’t a deal breaker, it’s definitely a big part of her life.
Now that she’s getting back into her training routine, Michelle said she’s trying not to jump in too quickly. Injuries are part of any sport, she said, but when you’re running you really need to listen to your body and give it the breaks it needs.
Another thing Michelle said is that she pays attention to what she puts in her body. She’s not vegan, paleo or gluten free, but she tries to eat things that will help her running and her fitness rather than work against her efforts.
But there’s a good sense of balance to her eating. Like a lot of people, Michelle likes cookies, cake and ice cream and doesn’t like to deny herself those sweets. Plus, she has a husband and three daughters who don’t want to eat health food for every meal – even though Michelle said she makes a pretty mean kale salad.
Even though Michelle likes to keep her training schedule on track, she also know she needs time off. Recently her family took a vacation to Disney World. While she didn’t keep up on her running, she walked lots of miles through the park with her family, making memories and watching her daughters enjoy the experience.
As the Halfsy inches closer, Michelle is thankful she can get back to her running routine. She’s thankful for a body that is healthy and able to run and that she has a hobby that fuels so much of her life.
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Check back for more Halfsy Hero stories and to read the next installment of Michelle’s story.