Running commentary

My transition back to America after two years in South Korea has been challenging and interesting in a variety of ways. I didn't know that my return would coincide with the loss of my ability to run.

We returned in mid-June, but could not move into our Tollgate home which was being rented out, so we moved into a place at Black Butte Ranch, praying that our home would become available before the lease was up in June 2016.

Being in a new location in Sisters Country did provide some new perspective and opportunities, which was a plus. There are some fantastic places to run at Black Butte Ranch and in the area surrounding it. If you like to run on paved trails BBR has miles for residents and guests to choose from. Venture out any exit gate from the ranch and National Forest dirt roads beckon. Of course the pools, spas, and workout rooms are also nothing to sneeze at.

With all that opportunity you would think that I would have come out of summer in tremendous running condition, but that was not the case - because I was not able to run nearly as much I wished due to a nagging calf injury. Then, in September, I went to see a doctor because my hands and feet were swelling inexplicably and discovered that I may have rheumatoid arthritis, which has limited my activity to walking and swimming.

I have seen other, older friends of mine have to curtail or cease running as they got to a certain age, but I never imagined I might have to be considered a "former" runner at age 55. While I am still hopeful that my condition is temporary, not being able to run has given me a new perspective about what it is about running that I so enjoy. The notion that "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone" is ringing true.

I miss being alone on the trail in the forest, puffing up a hill and being rewarded at the top with a view of the snowy mountains. I feel much less creative when I don't run, since that time alone gives me time to think, to sort things out, and to daydream. My body is unhappy because muscle is being lost to fat, which has left me in the worst physical condition of my life. The endorphins that circulate through your body during and after a run are on vacation.

I miss the sense of discovery that comes when you find a new route or trail. I miss the satisfied feeling of finishing a hard run. I even miss struggling to pull off my sweat-soaked shirt and the smell of effort that lingers in the fabric.

Running has also been a social activity for me. There is a certain excitement when you meet up with friends for a morning run or race and you have the chance to embrace the energy of your fellow runners, swap stories, and share in a common experience.

Honestly, part of my identity is wrapped up in being a runner. It's been nearly 42 years since I began, so it's small wonder that being unable to head out my back gate and out to adventure is a loss to be grieved.

With all that said, I still believe you can take the boy out of running, but you can't take the running out of the boy, so my New Year's resolution is to do all I can to get back to running, and, if that does not work out, I will have to accept that walking, hiking, swimming, and biking will have to do.

For those of you who are still able to hit the roads and trails, savor it. At the very least I still look forward to writing on the topic I hold so dear.