What's Up With Falling Down

I fell, but at least the view was lovely lol!

Events from this post were originally penned in Aug 2013 and have been reproduced on MirrowWatching.com for Way Back When Wednesday.

I was out running today and I fell. The experience was surreal, like instant replay on ESPN. So slow in fact that I had one too many thoughts as my status with the pavement changed from vertical to horizontal. My left knee, then the right one, left hip, hands, chest and face in that order hit the ground. Man, it really hurt. I laid there for a minute contemplating if I was ok. Oh my freaking goodness! I'm stretched out on the ground.

It is early morning on the second day of Cup Match in Bermuda. The streets are deserted but for one lone compact car that had stopped just up ahead. I decided I better see if I could get up. As I am lifting myself up I’m checking to see if I am still alive and I notice that I am lol. Oh ok! Some scrapes, road rash and tenderness in some spots. The compact driver, seeing me extract myself from the pavement, must have determined that I was ok and continued on their way. That was kinda sweet, I guess?!

As I brushed the dirt off my face I’m thinking, "what now?" I'm almost two miles away from home at o'clock in the morning on a holiday with no money. I can't walk that far (I'll explain another day). No buses are coming at this hour. The only thing left to do is run. I adjust my earphones and headed out. Limping yes, but running nevertheless. A smile eased over my face and I think, "Get it G!"

As I run I remember the last time that I had fallen.....

Picture it. Big girl on her hands and knees in the street, dazed, bruised and embarrassed trying to collect the contents of her purse that had scattered about the street in downtown Dover. How did I just fall off that sidewalk? There were people on the street watching and whispering, but no one was helping. Then I realized the lady in the car is not waiting to see if I was ok, but she wanted to park where I had fallen. I struggle up off my knees. Tights are ripped, but I gather myself and walk away. Home, at that time, is only half a mile or so away, but in my current state it may as well be two miles. As am crossing the train tracks it starts to rain. REALLY! Not that I am already upset, but of course there isn't any shelter to be found so I get wet. Knock, knock - your express delivery of depression has arrived. I know, I know. It's ok. You can laugh. The whole thing was just preposterous.

That day I was publicly humiliated, my spirit was broken and my ego was bruised. The experience was so traumatic for me that I was determined not to let it happen again. I'm sure between that fall and this one 12 years have passed, but my whole world has changed. As it would happen, I did fall again, but the only thing bruised this time are my knees and hips. Nothing a little dip in the salt water (ocean) can’t cure.

Have you ever had an embarrassing fall?  How did you recover?

This post is being shared on Work Out Wednesday, Wellness Wednesday and Fitness Friday, link ups. Be sure to check them out to find great posts on exercise and wellness.