Running

I've been pretty good lately about restraining myself from telling you all the mundane, boring detail of my slow return to running. Until now. :)

I've been good about forced days off, stretching, and strengthening exercises. I'm trying hard not to get injured or have aches. I do get some aches in the arch still, so I have a feeling this will just have to something I'm very vigilant about, not just hop out the door and run.

I've been treating myself to trail runs. It's too cold to bike outside, and I need something to look forward to amidst the paper-writing.

I had a great long run this morning, albeit accidental. I hadn't run this trail for almost a year and I could have sworn the "shortcut" made it an hour... somehow I forgot about 5 whole extra miles. Gah! Whatever. What can you do but keep running? I tried to chill out. The last mile and a half or so were ugly, but The Hurricane came on my iShuffle, so that was pretty motivating. I'm already sore and stiff, but psyched! The best way to get back to normal mileage is just to do it (painfully, at first).

One last thing, I was chatting with a dude at law school who I always see at the gym. So, of course we started talking about what sports we do (he = soccer). He asked what sport I do and without thinking I said "I'm a runner." Super cheesy, but it felt really good to say that! I feel like I haven't been able to say that for so long. I also love that you can be a runner no matter how recreational, amateur, slow, or gawky you are. Really, I have just as much right to say I am a runner as Shalene or Kara. You don't have to be good, you just have to do it. So do it. And love it.

Keep calm and carry on...