It was confirmed last week that I have something called "idiopathic osteoporosis." Basically, I have extremely low bone density that was not caused by any of the standard health issues that would affect the bones of a 30-something competitive male distance runner (low testosterone, thyroid issues, vitamin deficiencies, dietary issues, etc.). In fact, after almost six years of doctor visits all over the country, scans, blood work, and countless other medical producers, I've learned that I am flawlessly healthy minus the fact that I am now dangerously prone to bone fractures (I've had seven over these last six years).
I'm going to be taking a drug called Forteo that will help increase bone density, but it's going to take years to get to where I need to be, and I'll probably need to take other drugs once I'm done with Forteo (you can only take the drug for two years due to an increased risk of cancer). But despite this treatment, my doctors agreed that I need to step away from running. My bone density t-scores are simply too low to continue to run without risking constant and serious fractures.
Although I was able to keep my head up throughout this ordeal, last week's diagnosis hit me hard. I'm typing this after another sleepless night caused by worrying about what I'm going to do with myself now that I have to move on from running. I live a very balanced life. I'm not one of those runners who views the sport as his or her entire world. In fact, I keep running very separate from the rest of my life. But running is one major part of what allows my life to be this way. If I can't find something to replace the athletic and competitive aspect of my life, this balance will be lost.
For those of you who have faced a situation similar to this, how did you fill the void left by distance running?