My Dad and I are similar in the sense that if a good idea (or a slightly crazy one) is presented to us, our initial response is usually, “sure, why the hell not?”. That’s how the 5K back in July of 2010 happened. But we did it, and more importantly, we did it together, side by side the entire way. The feeling of crossing the finish line with my Dad is one of my favorite memories.

Fast forward almost three years later and my body has gone through quite a beating, especially the past year. I was in the middle of my last season of cheerleading and was pushing myself like never before. Simultaneously, I was going through the worst heartache of my then-22 year life which led me to run almost every single day.

I’d kick off my heels after my internship finished, lace up my sneakers and hit the streets. Two hours later I was in the gym running sprints and getting thrown around like a rag doll. But when I got shooting pains in my knee, my doctor told me I hurt my meniscus and I had to stop running. I was devastated.

So there I was. Stuck. Cheerleading ended in March and anytime I ran more than one mile my knee killed. I was left without both. I had a choice: sit around and watch my body change in a way I knew I wouldn’t like, or get up and figure something else out.

I joined a gym and became addicted to spinning classes, which gratefully helped strengthen the muscles around my knees. I took yoga classes to keep my flexibility and found that the rowing machine is an excellent way to get my frustrations out. I found a physical therapist who I adore and invested the resources to fix my knee (and hip, ankles and back. Thanks, cheerleading).

I couldn’t settle for not being able to run again. It wasn’t an option for me.

So often in life we hit major road blocks and the frustration is immeasurable. It doesn’t even seem fair. But at the end of the day remember that you always have a choice.

Choose to rely on yourself.

Choose to kick your own ass.

Choose to be happy.

Be patient with yourself and know that if you want something bad enough, you really can have it. Often times, the only person standing in the way is yourself. I turned my road block into motivation. I used it to fuel me and push me to become a better version of myself.

It’s time to get out of your own way.