No Brace

Yesterday I ate at Tucanos for dinner and didn’t get to bed until 2am ish.  Not a good combination knowing that I had to run in the morning. 

I let myself sleep in and was finally out of my bed at 11:35am.  I felt a little sick and knew that I couldn’t run right away if at all.  I watched a little bit of tv and ate some multigrain cheerios.  I didn’t want to eat anything that might make me sick on my run.  So…..no milk, and no heavy meal.  I also made sure to drink water so I wasn’t dehydrated.

Finally, I put on my running clothes, updated my running playlist, and stretched in order to prepare myself.  It was time.

I went out the door hoping for a long run.  I debated in my head what exactly to do.  As I got more into my run I decided today was the day to get in some miles.  Today was the day I ran a longer distance.
But today was also the day I wouldn’t push myself too hard in order to keep letting my knee heal and get used to all this.

I ran my usual route and turned up 1700 south.  I knew I wasn’t running as well as I normally do, but I was going to be fine.  When I got up to 1700 East I wanted to try a new route (and honestly I was feeling like I couldn’t make it as far as I wanted to).  I turned left and well…..I turned back once I saw that the street didn’t look like it was normal and curved into what I didn’t know.  That would have been an adventure though!  Instead I went back and went the route I usually do.

I’m glad I did.  I got my smile back at a point and my playlist played the right song at the right time.  I think the smiling really started when I saw a unicyclist.  I saw a man carrying his unicycle to cross the street.  Then he cycled on the other side of the street from me in the same direction.  It was sort of fun to run with him, but not really.  Haha.

I was also happy that my knee was doing well as I ran down 500S.  My knee also did well as I ran down south temple.  Those were the two downhills I was worried about, and in the end I survived!

I ran a total of 9.2 miles at an average 8:48min/mile pace.

I feel really good.  I still have a long way to go, but considering the roadblock I had, this is good.  My pace will get faster as I get stronger.  And the miles will keep going up.

I’m not giving up and I’m determined to keep moving forward.

And I love the knowledge I am gaining along the way.

Runaway Girl

Night Run

Tonight I knew I needed to run at least 3 miles.  I told myself no slacking, so no more slacking.  Before I went out the door, I decided to run my 4 mile route instead.  

It might not be the safest thing to do, but when the sun is down and I go for a run, there’s a certain feeling of power.  I felt like I pushed myself a little more (because it’s dark and I need to get home).  It’s a time to end the day the right way.

I also learn to focus a lot more.  When it’s dark (even with the street lights) I can’t always see the sidewalk cracks and such.  I have to make sure I don’t trip.  I definitely thought that I had a higher chance of tripping on the uneven sidewalks, but luckily I didn’t.  

The funniest part of my run was when I was flying down south temple at the end of my run.  The song playing was about to end and I was thinking about how i always like to end on a good song, but I didn’t want to deal with fidgeting with my music and just finishing strong.  I thought to myself, ‘I hope it’s not ‘Trumpets’…..and I bet now that I’ve thought that it’s gonna be that song’.  

The next song was ‘Trumpets’.

I laughed and let it play as I sprinted home.  I ended with an average pace of 8:09 min/mile.

Tonights run let me smile again and just feel the happiness of running.  

God knew that I needed running back in my life.  He also knew that I needed to have a humbling and reflecting break.  My knee made it so I had to stop running, which was really hard.  But I was able to see so many things.  I was able to slow down in life, and I needed that.  I learned that I can’t always run away from things.  I can just enjoy what’s right in front of me.  :)

Runaway Girl

President's Day

A day off of work means time for a run.  I slept in and then headed out the door.  I decided that I would try to run my 5 mile route, but as I was running I decided that I would extend it to a longer run.  

I ended up running 6.1 miles and the best news of all?

MY KNEE DIDN’T KILL ME!!!!!

I’ve been more conscious of stretching and icing.  I feel really good about this.  It’s been hard not to be as on track as I’ve wanted to be for my marathon, but I am extremely grateful that I’m able to heal and still run.

And my pace?  8:36 min/mile.  Not too shabby.

Runaway Girl

Friday the Thirteenth

Friday the Thirteenth doesn’t mean unluckiness for me.  I went for a wonderful run in the morning.  I only ran 3 miles, but my knee is feeling so much better!  I’m feeling pretty positive.

My pace: 7:53 min/mile

Runaway Girl

No More Slacking

I was going to wake up and go on a run before work, but last night I was cleaning and such that I ended up getting to bed way later than I wanted and I was feeling sick. 

So, instead, I slept in a little, went to work, and then went for a run after that.  I decided that I would run my 4 mile route.....which involves a big hill.

I love running that hill. 

I felt pretty strong.  I didn't push myself too hard to make sure my knee would be okay, because it's definitely still healing.  I also am noticing that even though my health is not 100%, running makes me feel like I can pretend that it is for a time.

I smiled a bit on my run.  I thought about strength and how I was going to be stronger because of my running.  And not just physically.  I'm extremely grateful that I have a more consistent running schedule back in my life and that it hasn't come with extreme pain.  :)

Today.....I ran for more strength in my life.  

I'm back.

Runaway Girl

Thank You

The weekend was interesting.  I was going to wake up early to run this morning before work, but I needed the sleep.  So instead, I ran to FHE.  The run there was good, and the run back home even better.  I felt this peace about it.  It was nice to have the break of two short runs so that my knee wouldn’t have too much pressure.

I ended up logging 5 miles.

The best part of the run was the impression I got to take a little detour.  It was weird, but I really felt like I should just take a chance to do something bold.  And honestly after that, I felt peace.  More peace.  I smiled and I just wanted to throw my hands in the air.  Maybe even scream “We’re FREE!”.  Haha.  But really, that was pretty much the feeling.

A day can easily be turned around.  We don’t have to dwell on/in the past.  We can just run forward. :)

And sometimes we just need to say: 

Thank You.

Runaway Girl

Almost Two Trip

I got some advice as to how I should recover quicker so I could actually run my marathon.  Because as I said before, I WILL RUN!

Three times a week I need to do this routine:

3 mile run before work, stretch, and ice.

3 miles run after work, stretch and ice.

So I went for a 3 mile run.  And this was such a good run.  At one point I almost tripped.  And then at another point I almost tripped.  I couldn’t help but laugh.  One of them, which I’ll try to explain, went a little like this:

There was a nice break in the sidewalk which made one square higher than the other.  

The front of shoe hit this and I lost balance.

I put my hands out in case I actually fell.

I’m pretty sure I stumbled (and looked like an idiot) for a good while trying to not let myself fall.

And then I recovered.  

For anyone who saw this little adventure, I hope they had a good laugh.  I sure did.  And I stayed positive.  I thought, maybe that needed to happen so my knee would get put back in a better place.  Yeah, it’s a weird thought, but it made me feel better.

And in the end.  I felt great!  3 miles for the win!

I’m getting better.

Runaway Girl

Take It Easy

My next run was just going to be nice and easy.  And that’s exactly what it was.  I ran to a meeting I had for my church calling.  As my runs have been lately, it was dark and later in the night.  It was the right thing to do.  

I ran 1.6 miles at a 8:27 min/mile pace.

Even though it was short and not fast, it was for me.  I wasn’t worried.  I was just going for a run. :)

Runaway Girl

Quick Runaway

It’s a Tuesday night.  I had been feeling pretty good.  I hear something that doesn’t sit too well with me.  I play a church basketball game and try to shove it off.  Still, it lingers.  I stay for a bit to watch our boys play and I decide that I need to leave.  I need to run.

It’s late and dark.  But I feel the adrenaline kick in and I run.  I hold back some tears, but also allow myself to shed one here and there. I pray.

I get back and I’m better.  I know that things will work out.  

I needed a moment to get away so I could clear my mind.  I didn’t know the full story and I had no reason to get mad.  I’m really glad though.  I was able to not get angry.  I don’t want to be that kind of person.  And so, I refuse to get mad.

Runaway Girl