Feeling Frustrated

I am feeling really frustrated recently, because my body is not cooperating with me. After every run, I have been getting really tight calves resulting in several knots in my calves that are very painful. This weekend, I feel as if I have a pinched nerve or something of the sorts in my lower back and does not feel very nice. When I run, my mid back feels as if it is crunching together and causes me a lot of pain. Overall, my body is not holding up its end of the bargain and I don't like it.

I must say, I am being proactive in trying to figure out what the hell is going on and how can I fix it! I went to the sports doctor last week and he rubbed out my calf knots (which did not end up cramping up over the weekend), plus he taught me some exercises to help with this problem. However, since I was there on Friday, I have this pinched nerve feeling in my lower back and it scares me. I was unable to complete my 10-mile run this weekend, a definite set back.

In addition to going to the doctor, I have been reading about the Chi Running technique. Chi Running is supposed to be an injury free approach to running, so I figured I would give it a shot. If I feel the Chi Running technique is for me, then I will be taking a workshop on it in two weeks to hopefully remain healthy as I continue to run.

Wish me luck and I will keep you posted on my progress and health.

2010, what????

Can you believe it is 2010? I can't. I have been feeling really anxious since the new year began thinking of all of the things I want to accomplish in the new year. Last night I could not even sleep, as my mind was running full speed thinking of all the work I was going back to in the morning, projects I would like to look tackle in 2010, my current project of raising $1,700 for GOTR, future volunteer opportunities, blah blah blah. There is really no point to all of this other than it makes me feel much better to these thoughts out of my mind and into cyberspace. However, to make it more concrete, here are some projects, goals, etc... I had racing around in my head. 

• Take a sewing class (going to do in either feb. or january)
• Get the new fundraising/training marathon program at Shanti off the ground (began doing that this week)
• Figure out why I am having aches and pains in my calves and back while running these days (started this project today by making a visit to the sports doctor)
• Reading more
• Trying to get back my half-full attitude on life
• Be more adventurous
• Go to the climbing gym
• Learn to manage my high anxiety levels (and creating this list is not helping in the least) 
• Learn to play and instrument??
• Listen more and talk less 

Now for those of you reading this, you can help hold me acountable for my 2010 "resolutions".

With all of that said, I have exactly one month to raise another  $310 to complete my Girls on the Run fundraising goal (and 2009/2010 GOTR fundraising challenge).

That breaks down to raising $77.50 per week!

                                   

Here are some ideas of how the money I am raising for GOTR is spent?

$25 Covers the Lollipop 5k Run race entry fee for one girl
$50 Buys healthy snacks for one season for all 16 girls on a team
$100 Provides curriculum, game pieces, and supplies at one site .
$300 Pays for one girl to participate in Girls on the Run for one season
$500 Enables every girl in a program and her family to participate in the Lollipop 5k Run
$1,000 Trains 50 volunteer coaches
$5,000 Sponsors a Girls on the Run program for 16 girls for an entire season
                          

 "Girls on the Run makes me feel happy, excited, silly and fast!"
Samantha, 8

"I like Girls on the Run because it is making me feel good about myself"
Albright, 9