I was a long-distance runner for so long that, at one point, it was a large part of my identity. I won six state championships in high school and got a track scholarship to a Division 1 college, where I regularly logged 90 miles a week during training.
After graduating, running continued to be a consistent part of my routine. Its importance in my daily schedule was nearly tied with brushing my teeth. I ran through all five of my pregnancies—I even went for a five-miler the day before I delivered my second son. Running was—and still is—my favorite thing to do.
However, I eventually started experiencing sporadic bouts of debilitating back pain. Every six months or so, I woke up with a stiff back; it felt as if it was locked into place. Everyday activities, like leaning over the sink to spit out a mouthful of toothpaste or driving my car, were agonizing.
The flare-ups would last for about two weeks and then get better. I went years without knowing what was causing them. But after a slew of misdiagnoses, I finally got an answer: I was showing early signs of degenerative disc disease, which is a condition where the…
