What a weekend! If you remember my last blog post, I told you I was gearing up to run the Brooklyn Half Marathon on Saturday. I was so prepared, ready, and motivated. The weather report was absolutely perfect: a bright, sunny Brooklyn day. In my mind, I had perfectly visualized myself cruising through Prospect Park, flying straight down Ocean Parkway to Coney Island, crossing the finish line, and taking a quick, triumphant dip in the ocean. I was ready to soak up the sun, chat with my running crew, and bask in that post-race runner's high.
But as life so often reminds us, reality had a slightly different plan.
On Friday morning, I was getting ready, and out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a pair of dirty trousers on the bathroom floor. Lying there, seemingly harmless and innocent, they whispered to me: “Pick me up, I belong in the laundry bin.” So, I bent over.
Suddenly, a blinding, horrific pain shot through my back. Within seconds, I was stranded on the bathroom floor, lying flat on my back like a dead bug.
The Reality of Midlife Injuries and Perimenopause Symptoms
Since that exact moment, I haven’t been able to walk or stand up straight. I tried everything; heating pads, Ibuprofen, prayer...but nothing touched the pain. I eventually managed to get to urgent care (and by "get there," I mean I crawled into an Uber because walking was entirely out of the question).
I was secretly hoping for a quick-fix miracle, but the lovely doctor gave it to me straight: it’s going to take time. He prescribed heat, anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxants. Then came the ultimate heartbreak: I absolutely could not run the half marathon.
Frustrated and heartbroken, I went home and cried on the couch in the "dead-bug position" (because the only semi-comfortable posture was lying on my back with my legs bent in the air). As I messaged my friends to tell them the devastating news, it got me thinking about midlife health. During perimenopause, our bodies change in ways we don't expect. Perimenopause symptoms aren't just about hot flashes and mood swings; shifts in estrogen can actually affect our muscles, ligaments, and joints, making perimenopause joint pain and sudden back spasms frustratingly common.
But dealing with the physical ups and downs of menopause transition is exactly why we need to build a strong safety net.
Find Your People: The Power of a Women’s Community
The next morning, I woke up, swallowed my morning dose of painkillers, and opened our WhatsApp running group chat. Everyone was on their way to the starting line, happy, cheering, and buzzing with energy. Even in the midst of their own pre-race euphoria, they sent the sweetest messages to lift my spirits.
Right before the race started, I received a photo from them that completely melted my heart.
Can you believe they actually printed my face out, glued it to a stick, and wrote: “No one will be left behind! Steph! You trained for this.”?
They literally carried "Cardboard Me" all the way through the 13.1 miles to the finish line, and they even placed a finisher's medal around my cardboard neck.
I am so incredibly grateful for this community. If there is one piece of advice I can offer for navigating the rollercoaster of women's health in our 40s and 50s, it’s this: find your people. Surrounding yourself with a supportive women's community is absolutely vital during perimenopause. You need friends who will lift you up when life gives you lemons (or, in my case, when a pair of dirty pants throws your back out).
Lenny Kravitz: The Ultimate Remedy for Midlife
Thankfully, there was a second event on my weekend itinerary. I had tickets for the Lenny Kravitz concert on Saturday night at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.
Listen, I can miss a half marathon (as deeply as that hurts), but under no circumstances am I missing Lenny Kravitz when I have tickets in row 8. Never. Ever.
I loaded up on heat patches and painkillers and made my way to the venue. And let me tell you, Mr. Kravitz did not disappoint. The concert was a total, beautiful, sweaty masterpiece. Thankfully, we had stadium seats, so I had the option to sit down if my back gave out, but believe me, I danced the entire time.
This was my fifth time seeing him live, and my love for him and his music runs deep. The energy in the arena was electric, and the whole crowd absolutely erupted when he played “Are You Gonna Go My Way.”
The woman standing next to me in the crowd summed up the fabulous evening perfectly. She turned to me and shouted over the music:
“My ovaries just rejuvenated!”
Who needs a fountain of youth when you have front-row seats to Lenny Kravitz? It turns out a little rock-and-roll therapy was exactly the perimenopause relief I needed.