In the winter of 2012, I was training for the Steamboat half marathon and it was going so well. I was setting PRs during workouts and enjoying my long runs. But on February 22nd, 2012 that all changed. I was headed to Runner's Roost Louisville to pick up some gels for my long run that weekend. As I headed West through the green light, a driver coming from the South had fallen asleep, ran the red light and plowed into the driver's side of my car. Luckily, I walked away with what I thought was some "minor" lower back pain, some sore muscles, and a mangled up car. But....I walked away, which I was so grateful for and know that the situation could have been so much worse.

The following days and weeks my running began to fall apart. I was having horrible hip and lower back pain and was struggling to complete even just a few miles of my runs. I finally decided to go see an orthopedic to see if maybe I hadn't walked away from the car accident as well as I had originally thought. Long story short, I ended up tearing the labrum in both of my hips and needed reconstructive surgery on each. The good news was that we caught it early before it got much worse but the bad news, all the activities I loved doing especially running, were put on hold indefinitely (6 months per surgery). Running again was probable but not guaranteed (and long distance running came with a BIG question mark).

So here we are, 3 MRIs, 3 hip surgeries, countless hours of rehab (and still going). 2.5 years later I will be finishing what I started in 2012. Revel Rockies Half Marathon was my first race since the accident! Running is a gift and I appreciate each day that I get to do what I love.