My Climb

🎶There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb🎶 
~Miley Cyrus

Cheezy, I know. But the message is real. It’s my life. It’s my journey back to running and my navigation of menopause. I know you’ve seen a few emails about this topic already but there is so much that I am learning through this process that I wanted to share with you.

I have been asked by many people over this past year about how I am doing mentally. My answer: In running long distances there are always lows, ALWAYS. But it never ALWAYS gets worse, eventually it does get better. Life is no different. I am doing ok.

I refuse to give in to frustration. Sure, it’s there hiding in the shadows, peaking out at me now and then. I am human after all. But I chase it away but focusing on what I can control. Giving into frustration would mean I am looking to future or the past, neither of which moves me forward. And it most certainly takes me out of the present.

Instead of looking into the future or the past with frustration and hopelessness I choose to focus on the journey that it’s been. And for that reason I documented this past year of dealing with injuries, menopause and loss. Upon doing so, I stepped back and saw the lyrics of that Miley song. It’s been a slow, uphill battle. I also saw a reason to celebrate. Because I saw resilience and relentlessness.

Well done Keli, well done.

The true measure of a journey isn't how fast you get there or how smoothly the path unfolds. It's in the quiet, persistent act of putting one foot in front of the other, especially when it feels like you're taking more steps back than forward. The real victory isn't reaching the finish line without a scratch, but in looking back at all the mountains you've climbed, the injuries, the frustrations, the doubts, and recognizing the strength you built along the way. That's not just surviving; that's thriving. And that's a reason to celebrate.

I hope you will take time to celebrate your climbs, your resilience and your relentlessness.

From my heart to yours,

Keli💚

PS: I have shared my timeline (my climb!) from this past year, if you’re interested.

Timeline

August 10, 2024 - I tore my left medial meniscus (my birthday, impeccable timing father-time)
August 26 - Cross country season starts, I can’t run with the team. Pivot moment in my coaching. After 19 years of running with them.
August 27 - Had the MRI confirming the tears, yes plural (degenerative tearing)
Sept 9 - Finally had appointment with Orthopedic doc - plan: avoid surgery, said no to cortisone shot, I was going to muscle through, doc said to try and keep running, to keep the meniscus strong while it healed
October 15 - back to Ortho because knee wouldn’t calm down, said yes to cortisone shot
October-January - dabbled with a few miles here and there, knee wasn’t feeling too bad, twice a week I was running 2-3 miles, slow and stiff but I was running so I didn’t care!
Beginning January - cortisone shot wore off, knee swelled up again, back to Ortho - recommended to give PRP injections a try, surgery was still something neither he nor I were willing to entertain.
January 22 - First of three PRP injections
January 29 - Second injection
February 5 - Final injection - no impact exercise for 28 days (used my rower and switched to bodyweight exercises only for lower body)
March 6 - slow and gradual impact and weighted exercise could begin
March-April - back to trying to run 2-3 miles at a time a few days a week, slow and steady - PRP worked!
May 9 - Ran 2.5 miles for what would be the last time for a while. Now the right knee began exhibiting same symptoms, meniscus tears. WTF! Stopped running.
May 19 - Consulted PT/Running coach who specializes in injuries - Time to set down my coach’s cap and be a student athlete.
May 24 - Started new strength and running program. First week went well. Walk/run intervals, ego officially retreated.
May 29 - My best friend Axel passed away - extreme sadness sets in
Beginning of June - Body became inflamed from the waist down, hips, knees - felt worse than I do after an ultramarathon. Legs felt like concrete, couldn’t stand very long. Made a doctor’s appointment, suspected it was menopause related.
June 12 - Began oral HRT (hormone replacement therapy), continued to try and run according to plan. Felt AW-FUL.
June 28 - Couldn’t run without limping on the right side, had to abandon run intervals and resort to walking. Stairs were really hard. Body still feeling slightly enflamed. Right knee is REALLY pissed.
July 6 - Training plan altered to just walking while right side calms down *sigh* - called and made another Ortho appointment
July 24 - knee is calming down. Running added back to training plan, only six 30 second run intervals. Back to square one, ah-gain. *big sigh* Good news - HRT is making me feel better physically and emotionally. *big yay* And overall strength is improving greatly!
July 31 - Ortho appointment - by this time knee is beginning to feel better, did X-rays, bone spur under patella and some narrowing on inside of the joint, suspect the same degenerative issues. No MRI for now since knee doesn’t feel like its catching on the inside. Ortho said do not stop what I am doing.
August 1 - Training plan now includes 1 minute running intervals again, only 6 of them in 30 minutes of walking, 3 times a week. Strength training is going well, feeling strong!
August 4 - Got a little too excited about how I was feeling and picked up too much weight for the split squats that were programmed, right knee is a little grumpy again but still able to do my intervals without limping. Still progress!
August 6 - still in the climb a year later!