When I had my foot surgery in July, I came on here and wondered if I should even continue with endurance. I looked at my foot, my schedule, etc, and I wondered if I should go on with endurance athletics (marathons, etc).
The answer is I don’t think I’m done with endurance racing. Not by a long shot. But what I decided to do was press pause on that part of my life. Why?
One, my right foot is not done healing from surgery. In December last year, I had a CT scan, and I thought everything would be just fine. I was walking, I was up to 12 minutes on a treadmill, and I could handle walking through Aldi just fine. However, when I looked at the CT scan earlier this week, Dr. Buchanan showed me a void where solid should be. Left me feeling awful, but let’s face it, I can’t run while this is healing.
Two, I just started a new job with Centria Autism, and I’m trying to get to full time. I think working 30+ hours a week, getting full benefits, and getting experience for when I finish grad school is more important than another marathon medal right now.
Three, speaking of grad school, I go back to school March 30, right after the default designation comes off my student loans. If I push hard enough, I can finish school in March 2022 and get my LLMSW at least, meaning I can start seeing clients! Once again, “Amber Marie, (L)MSW” is a medal that will get me a career, good money, and will have me living my purpose. Every aptitude test I’ve taken says I’m meant for service professional work, and I’m glad I’m going in that direction.
I’m looking at my social connections. Right now, coffee with the family, Grace Episcopal, Holland Openly Secular Alliance, Out On the Lakeshore, Gender SAFE, PFLAG, etc, take chunks of my time. And I’ve come to the conclusion that social connection is far more important than running a few more miles and racking up another medal.
So right now, I plan on pressing pause on endurance athletics. Instead of running marathons, longer distance triathlons, etc, I plan on pressing pause and enjoying the life I have right now.
Adventures With Amber Marie 
2 replies on “Endurance- Pressing Pause”
Hello Amber Marie. I just want to tell you I think you’re doing all the right things. When one avenue of strength building stalls, you find another. You’re building a posse of people who think the world of you, and that’s the biggest treasure. Go Amber Marie!
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I am honored to be numbered among your tribe, a fellow Skirt Sister and an Mama Bear to a lovely woman making her mark upon the world. Milestones and adventures await you, and if I’m lucky…I’ll bear witness to a moment or two, or seven… ❤
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