Quick update

Went running by the lake for the first time in months Tuesday night. I made it about 2 miles before any sharp pains in my shin. My doctor told me to stop running at the first sign of pain, so I walked a bit longer.

At first I wasn't going to go. I was sitting in my apartment in full running gear, petrified. I couldn't get my body out the door. All the old fears of feeling stupid and being worried about how I look when running came rushing back to me. I went and got the ziploc bag I saved with words of inspiration from last year's marathon, took each one out, and read them all. Seeing the amazing things my friends and even strangers said about me running made me realize it didn't matter how I looked, it just mattered that I was out there. So I tucked in my favorite sage advice in my running pack, and walked out the door.

Running, music pulsing through my body, feeling strong as my feet pounded against the pavement, felt so amazing. As I was finishing the run and waiting for the bus, a rain shower exploded around me, and here I was, standing on the beautiful museum campus, the Chicago skyline behind me, under a giant oak tree soaking wet and grinning like an idiot, completely in love with my running and that moment. I just forgot how alive running makes me feel. It just felt so amazing.

It feels good to be back. Run Lisa Run is back on the course...

Now if only this damn leg will stop acting up. Hrmph. Come on feet (well in this case shin), don't fail me now!

Back in the saddle...

HEY!!!

Why am I so chipper at 7:50 in the morning since I got up at 6?!

Because for the first time since the marathon, I went running :)

And the best part? At the end of my workout Paula Radcliff (well her voice on my iPod) congratulated me on my best mile yet on my iPod! WOOO HOOO!!!

My average pace was I believe 15:21 (yeah, the iPod is charging, don't want to disturb it, got a train ride to work), so I finally broke below a 16 min mile. ROCK!

Since I'm not training for a marathon anymore, now comes the time for just keeping my big (but shrinking!) butt moving. So I want to do 3-4 days of short runs (aka 2 miles, which I did this morning), 1 longer run on Saturdays (the length will vary but nothing under 5 I'm thinking?), and then one day of strength training. On the short days I'm going to improve on my pace and work on it, because my goal for the marathon next year is to finish under the 6.5 hour mark (well, I did finish under 6.5 hours this year, but only doing 14 miles, heh), and not have the finish line pass me around mile 3. Hehe.

So, today was a great start on working on this pace of mine. I jogged the first 1/2 mile, speed walked a mile, than jogged the last 1/2 mile, so for my butt (that couldn't jog up a flight of stairs six months ago), a half mile jog pace is pretty good.

Well, off to work I go. I maybe going to a really cool marathon lecture on Thursday if someone can cover my shift at the spa. I'll keep everyone posted!

Keep it moving folks!