Running

I've started running again. It'd been two years since I stopped running. I gave it up for two reasons. I had chronic ITB band syndrome that was caused by uneven leg lengths, according to my orthopedic doctor. ITB band syndrome is difficult to recover from. There wasn't much I could do about my uneven leg lengths and it seemed that I would always have ITB band syndrome. I kept running off and on but found some relief on the treadmill at the local Y. Secondly, we moved overseas and running fell low on my priority list. When I got pregnant, I pretty much gave up the idea right then. After that, I worked out to DVDs in my living room or went for long walks until I got too pregnant, fat, and tired.

When D turned 5 months, I finally began exercising again, alternating between DVDs and CrossFit-style workouts. Some months later, I was trying to work out and the girls were crying, wanting to join in and get tangled up in my workouts, climbing on me as I was doing mountain climbers, G was frustrated trying to keep them away while I used the living room space. I said, "Gah! I've gotta get out of here!" I went for a run. Oh, how I missed running! The escape, the freedom, the time to myself, the rush of endorphins afterward.

I starting running this summer but I was kind of unfocused and unsure what to do. I really wanted to learn how to run smart and prevent injury. I started researching madly, wondering if my leg length discrepancy was really the death knell for running. I am addicted to researching and information and it really does come into handy because I learned through my research that it is possible to run injury-free. I could run without pain in my hips and knee. No more piriformis syndrome (another injury I suffered, notably during my half-marthon in Warsaw, Poland) and ITB syndrome.

I have on my computer a training schedule, customized to my history of injuries and level of experience by a certified running coach with 14 years of experience. Since I'm starting from scratch after a two-year hiatus, I'm a beginning runner. The schedule includes core strength workouts, ITB band rehab exercises (to prevent the syndrome), glute exercises (weak hip muscles can cause ITB band syndrome), hip openers, and tennis ball work. The schedule is about preventing injury but the coach built in exercises during my runs to build speed and endurance safely, on top of increasing mileage so I appreciate that. It's only been about three weeks on this training schedule and so far, so good.

Running is not my favorite topic to blog about but the reason I decided to blog about it is for a measure of accountability. I enjoy seeing progress in my running and the incremental improvements are really addicting and encouraging. Having goals will facilitate that even more. My goal is to run some races and there is an 8k (a hair under 5 miles) race next month. The race is also a marathon, 15k, and 10k. I tried to sign up for the 10k but the registration was full but the 8k was available. It's a fun run, meaning it's not timed. The unique thing about this race is that it's the only race in the world that spans two continents, starting on the Asian side and over a bridge to the European side. How cool is that? It's definitely a bucket list item so the 8k is a good start.

My next goal is to run a 10k and I am scouring for other races in the spring but I am not finding anything that isn't a trail race, which I have zero experience in...unless you count my wild hoyden childhood days running around barefoot on dirt roads and in the woods. I may have to wait until we go stateside to run a 10k.

My next big goal is to run a half-marathon next fall after we come stateside. I should be able to find one easily in North Carolina or Virginia.

Now that I've told you what my goals are, I will start to feel accountable, thinking that you guys are checking on me, even though you may actually forget this post within minutes of reading this and won't actually be checking on me but my imagination will do the rest and that should give some motivation to achieve my goals.

Okay, half-marathon next fall or bust!