It’s been about six months since the last time I wrote anything here. My relationship with writing resembles my love/hate relationship with running, especially in the winter: I agonize about starting, I’m slower than I’d like to be, but when I finish I feel better about myself and am glad I followed through. But much like when I fall out of consistent running habit, putting off the writing process has a snowball effect of procrastination to the point where I have too many subjects lined up to write about that I get overwhelmed and find reasons to deprioritize the entire cathartic process of reflection and documentation.
That said, a LOT has happened in the last six months. Here is a super-quick synopsis to catch up to present-day, containing minimal detail so I don’t figuratively take off my running shoes, put on slippers, and eat a donut.
Things I didn’t blog about from before six months ago: I quit my job because I was going to be activated on 15-month orders for duty as a staff PAO for an admiral in San Diego but after three months on the job the higher-command decided to reprioritize reserve funding and cancel my orders, effectively leaving me unemployed. We stayed afloat on Melissa’s grad school loans. Melissa earned a Master of Science degree in Speech/Language Pathology and accepted a therapist position from the school district she had most hoped to work for and was placed with an age-group and school location that was ideal (I’m insanely proud of her and this reflection subject is probably the one I am most disappointed in myself for not taking the time to write).
This brings us up to about my last race report blog entry back in June. I had pursued several marketing and PR/public info jobs, and even had high hopes for a job with CalTrans working under a friend and mentor of mine who recommended me for the job. But, luckily(?), the human resources administration of government job requisitions took so long that I didn’t get the chance to fake enthusiasm about another long daily commute and work that has lost all semblance of “fulfillment” for me. Melissa was all set to start her new career and financially maintain our household homeostasis, so we agreed if I was ever going make a major career change this would be the time. I decided to go back to school.
New career: ISO minimal training time or school loan investment, fast ROI, room for growth…and triathlon training, close proximity to the endurance sports industry, opportunity to serve others/create positive change.
Ten years ago I trained for my first and only full marathon. Halfway through the training cycle, I had such bad knee pain I had to stop training. I took a 3-week break from running, lots of ice, elevation and rest, saw an orthopedist, got MRIs that showed nothing abnormal; tried to get back to training and my knees hurt as bad as they did three weeks prior. I received a couple recommendations to a local chiropractor who was trained in Active Release Techniques (A.R.T.). After one session with him, I was back on my running schedule with no knee pain and finished the race as planned. Since then, I have maintained a healthy curiosity about the technique and whether or not it would ever be something I could learn and provide for others.
The catalyst-ic situation of wishing for a career change and being unemployed set me on a path to the fastest and most efficient way to become licensed in A.R.T. and be able to help my fellow athletes work through, and avoid painful injuries. I enrolled in Healing Hands School of Holistic Health with the intent to give 100% of my focus and complete the massage therapy certification program within 5 months and become an A.R.T. provider as soon as possible after that.
The amount I have learned in that short time is astounding, and something I am very proud of. I went from a marketing/communications guy with a vague understanding of anatomy and biomechanics, based purely on past personal experiences with injury, to confidently being able to identify muscles that might be causing problems and help people through my touch. I still have plenty more to learn, but I feel transformed and ready to own the honored title of “therapist”. I am very excited to start this next chapter in my life and start really helping people who experience pain.