Being stubborn is often painful

It may not be everyones favorite activity, but it's one of mine. It allows me to forget what is going on in my life and focus on absolutely nothing. It causes sweat to pour off my nose, chafing under my bra, and really knotty hair. It requires a lot of sunscreen which often ends up burning my eyes. I can do it alone, with a friend, with my dog, with a stroller, with my husband, with a group, on the pavement, on the dirt, uncomfortably on the sand, with music, without music, while watching TV, or my personal oldie but goodie favorite- against a bus. It's running! I love it! I've been told over and over again not to do it, how to do it, where to do it, and when to do it. I have pushed myself past the breaking point with it. I have surprised myself with it. I have spent hours in the ER because of it. I have put myself into tears because of it. I have even won awards for it. And right now I really can't do it. 

I have something wrong with my lower back. Medical professionals in both medicine and physical therapy have suggested several reasons behind the back pain that is shooting cringing pain down my leg. Maybe it's a slipped disk, a pitched nerve, just a weak back. Who knows. All I know is that when I run I am in pain to two to three days after. I have been running anyway since I'm stubborn as hell but the pain can be so bad I can't even life my foot to push down on the gas pedal. Instead of giving up running (which I know would be best, but I never really listened to that) I am meeting with a personal trainer today to "work on" my lower back and the stomach muscles that wrap around to my back. Let's hope this works because I'm not going to stop running. I'll probably never stop running.