TORONTO February 23rd 2015. Digital Champion Laurie McCann started running after a good friend asked her to join in training for a half-marathon. Once she started running, she was hooked and running became her therapy. Laurie’s favourite distance is the half-marathon because it challenges her and with each race she strives to beat her PB. When she’s not running, Laurie is a police officer with The Toronto Police Service. She is also a member of a competitive Syncro Figure Skating team, but what she enjoys most is hanging out with her 2 little girls. Connect with Laurie on Twitter and Instagram.
The Importance Of Listening To Your Body. By Laurie McCann.
I competed in my first and only fitness competition in June of 2004. I was challenged by a friend of mine to compete, and if you know anything about me, I don’t back down from a challenge. I worked out twice a day and ate chicken, broccoli, black coffee (not my usual double double) and oatmeal.
I competed in the fitness model category and placed mid-pack. I was proud of myself but realized, I never wanted to do this again! A friend of mine who had also competed asked me if I wanted to do a half marathon in September of 2004. I thought “sure, why not?” and signed up for 2, just a week apart from one another. The only issue was, I wasn’t a regular runner, and when I did get out for a jog it was never more than 2K. But I took this as another challenge and away we went.
I started training and soon began to realized that I was falling in love with this thing called running. From that point on I was hooked and somewhat addicted. I finished my first half-marathon in 1 hour and 52 minutes and was very proud of myself for accomplishing what I had set out to do. My friend and I even crossed the finish line together! Despite the fact that my legs were extremely sore for the next week, I still completed my second half-marathon the following weekend. After that, I could barely walk! Looking back now, I wouldn’t say this was my smartest decision and I was very lucky that I didn’t injure myself.
Fast forward to 2007 and I was still running and now have two young children. My running slowed down because of some hip and pelvis issues I was having. Unfortunately for me, with age I still didn’t learn to “listen to my body” and I ran through the pain. I signed up for and crossed another half-marathon off my list, just a month after having my first child and could barely walk out of the finish chute to get my medal. I decided it was time to get some medical help to fix the pain I was having, and that turned out to be a very smart move. I was slowly becoming pain free.
A few years later in 2013, I was feeling good and had been injury free for a while. I decided to join my Toronto Police colleagues and run from Toronto to Ottawa in the ‘National Peace and Police Officers Memorial Run’ in September. The run would take place over a 3-day period, so I decided to ramp up my training. I was feeling great at first, but then started to experience lower leg pain. I ran through it, of course, until I couldn’t run anymore and ended up with a stress reaction, which was very close to a stress fracture. I was put in an air cast for 2 months, but I would take it off to ride my bike. I was determined, but determination isn’t always a good thing.
I ran to Ottawa in September, despite my Doctor’s orders and I ran in pain to the point that I couldn’t complete the final leg of the run into Parliament Hill and to the memorial. I was in tears, in pain and very disappointed with myself. I came back to Toronto to find out that my injury had progressed to a stress fracture so I was back into the air cast for 4 months. I also needed treatment from a bone healing machine. It took some scolding from my Doctor to finally “get it” and when I did start listening to my body, I finally started healing.
I had to park my runners for 5 months and did not return to running until March of 2014. It was the longest 5 months of my life. So, after learning the hard way, I now listen to and respect my body so I can stay healthy, run happy and keep my feet on the road. #LoveTheRoad and #ListenToYourBody.
