Amazing what a minute can do

I keep on singing those lyrics in the title over and over these days (Dave Matthews song). I come to you from the couch today, not a place sought after by most runners and active people, especially as the season turns nice, sunny and warm. I want to be outside, running, frolicking and making merry. Instead I am confined to my home base, my couch and my one or two blocks of flat terrain outside my house.

That is right, I am officially on the injured list. Shortly after coming back from Paris I went skiing, had an unfortunate accident where I fell but my knee fell the opposite direction thus resulting in a torn ACL and a damaged meniscus. In a flash my life has been altered. It's amazing how fast life comes and sometimes smacks you upside the head. In fact, as I was falling, in that split second of searing pain, I thought "well, there goes running for a while. At least I just did Paris!" When you make running and being active your entire life, it defines you. What happens when you can't do it anymore? Are you even the same person that you were 1 minute ago?

Since the accident I have only left my couch a handful of times. Once to see the orthopedic doc, once to get my MRI and a couple of times when I have felt adventurous and needed fresh air.

It is amazing, also, how your definition of luck changes when these sorts of things happen. I am lucky that there were amazing ski patrol right up the hill from me. I am lucky I didn't do something really bad like shatter my knee cap. I am lucky I had a good friend with me. I am lucky I had just done a marathon and a big trip to Europe. I am lucky I can schedule my upcoming ACL reconstruction surgery around my schedule (after Good Karma 5K). I am lucky that for the most part when I am stationary it's not so painful. I am lucky I work from home and do not have to commute. I am lucky that the majority of my work can be done on the computer and phone. I am lucky I am strong and in shape going into this. I am lucky I have one of the best ACL surgeons in this area. I am lucky I have insurance. I am lucky that if everything goes according to plan I will be back to absolute normal in about a year. I am lucky I have a great support system around me. Who needs the lottery, right!?

So, for the time being I will be volunteering at races, rather than running them. This just gives me an opportunity to slow down and observe the running world from a different perspective. Its probably exactly what I needed in my life. Maybe I will write a book, or make some art or actually read all those books I have been meaning to read.

So if you see a volunteer at your next race in a leg brace, well, stop by and say hi!