I am Neo, dodging bullets! Plus, motivation. Also, runner's high.

So look - I have a very weak core. I am also built strangely - my arms and legs are super duper skinny, all of my weight is in my torso.

Maybe a long-lost relative?

Seriously, it's weird. It's also annoying because since my core is weak and I have a gut that sticks out, my weight tends to throw my back out 3-4x/year. Always my lower right back, I'm usually picking up a piece of paper or something like it and I can feel some part of my back just snap out of place, and by the next morning, I'm a cripple. I hobble around like an old man, and it really lays me flat for about a week.

Sometimes it just starts to go out slowly and peaks without ever having an event that sparks it, but I'm still usually out for about a week.

Last week, I could feel my back slowly start to go out. It began shortly after my last blog post, and I got double annoyed. Why would my back choose to go out RIGHT AFTER I wanted to start training for a marathon?

We got two back braces and my wife worked on my back for a while, with me screaming in agony. No, really - I'm always really loud when I get an adjustment or massage. I spent one day unable to walk, but I was able to resume my training the next day! I'll take 1 day over 1 week down!

That's me, but with more hair, a smaller gut, more athletic arms and legs, and cooler clothes and that's not really me I guess.

Bullet DODGED.

*Cue tense music*

But THAT NIGHT, I picked up my son and turned left around the couch to take him to bed, and when I stepped with my right foot around the corner, it twisted hard under me and I went down hard. I've twisted my ankle lots of times, and this one was different. I've also broken my foot, and that was different, too - there was no sound of snapping this time, thank goodness. I had pain spike up my leg and I rolled in agony for several seconds. I just KNEW my ankle was sprained and I was going to be out for a week.

The pain faded very quickly, but soon settled into a deep ache throughout my foot. I icepacked it, went to bed, and when I got up, there was a small bruise on the side of my ankle, but no pain. I jumped up and down, jogged in place, nothing.

Bring it, life. Do your worst.

Bullet DODGED.

I only missed one day due to injury and I've been fine ever since!

It was also interesting a couple of days ago as I was running. I could feel the desire to run and succeed at this marathon. It made me willing to deal with whatever pain comes in order to achieve my goal. While I have had this experience in other aspects of my life, it has never been  1) in the physical sphere, and 2) not driven by a need (like getting a job or getting through school). This was voluntary. New corner for me to turn, and I'm excited about it.

I recently spoke with a friend who is a long distance runner, he said the runner's high doesn't come during the run but after you complete the run. Sounds suspiciously like the good feeling you get when you accomplish something worthwhile in your life. Seems a misnomer to talk about the runner's high when it's just, "Hey, I did something awesome and I feel good about it!" I mean, that's a pretty awesome feeling, but should we start using runner's high to talk about it in every situation, sorta like how non-tennis players get tennis elbow?

"I got the best runner's high when I finished my presentation and the boss gave me a thumbs up!"

Yeah, doesn't seem to work. I'll continue my investigative work and keep y'all posted on anything else I discover about this elusive "runner's high" thing.

OK, back to your regularly scheduled day.