Leaving it all behind me!

Ah but what a metaphor for so many things!
Running. What a fun gig that's turned out to be. A few months ago I found myself with an abundance of energy in the evening. I was having such a hard time getting to sleep that I figured I really needed to pick up an exercise routine. I'm familiar with running. It'd been a while, sure. I've smoked cigarettes off and on throughout my adult life and I'm not so diluted as to think that hasn't affected my physical state in some permanent way. But I let loose one day... Strapped on the ol' running shoes and surprised myself by busting out with 1.5 miles right out of the gate. I've been going ever since then; picking up a 1/2 mile here, an extra hill there, and now I'm up to 3-5 miles 4-6 days/week depending on the week & how I feel. My route changes pretty much daily. I carry pepper spray in case of stray dogs or creepers, because I do trail runs and canal road runs.
Let me just say that there really is nothing more rewarding than the feeling of accomplishment you get when you finish a good workout. Or when you can look back and say, "Damn, I've been running for _____ months!" I've worked it back into my routine. It's part of who I am again. I'm a runner. So in this sense, what I'm leaving behind me is a stretch of trail, or road, or sidewalk. And maybe some stress and anxiety and hard feelings. You can take those things out on the pavement and the pavement will never know the difference. I'm sleeping much better.
Speaking of "behind", I'm scheduled for some "scopies" (yeah, plural) next week. Maybe we'll find out what is causing the whole "Kerr stomach" thing. Maybe not. I can say that my problems started when I was 8 years old, and my parents started their divorce proceedings. Stress has a way of creeping right into your organs. Especially when you're little and you don't have tools to deal with anxiety in any way that even resembles normal and healthy. I remember a GI doctor telling me WAY BACK THEN that if I didn't stop taking stressors out on my stomach that I would eventually end up with an ulcer. I hope that is not the case; I don't think that's the case. I guess we'll see for sure.
My GI doctor was telling me about how difficult it is for people to come to her with chronic stomach/GI problems because it's not part of regular dialogue. I told her that it is definitely part of my dialogue. I'm more or less an open book when it comes to my bad gut. I've just never had good enough insurance to get to the bottom of it, until now. {HAHA there it is again. The bottom. The behind. So many ass metaphors. So little time.}