Getting My Running Game Back

Oh hello there blog. I have been busy but hopefully I am on my way back.

Let’s talk running.

About a year ago, give or take, I was biking to work when I was struck by a vehicle. Fun. He took off and physically it left me with rheumatoid arthritis in the ankle I landed on, and in an air cast for about 6 weeks. I attempted to run after a reasonable time out of the cast but for the next 6 months I still had lingering pain, most likely from the RA, in that ankle.

So no marathon in 2015 for me. Actually no running races at all and at one point I was sadly debating if my running days were over.

Somewhere along the way my ankle started feeling better… then almost normal. I ran once or twice and would have stiffness the next few days but it was progress.

About a month or more ago I decided to take my ankle for a serious test. I went from no miles / no days to about 3 – 4 miles 2 or 3 times in a week. I just pulled that bandage right off and went back into it! 

The first few days it was a little stiff and then, … nothing. What? 🙂

I did this for a good couple of weeks and decided that it was good … that I could do this … and that maybe I just need to keep running.

I pulled the trigger and signed up for marathon #3, which will be in April 2016.

My goal is this … run 2 – 3 days a week with at least one day having 6 miles (I am already doing this now) between now and the end of the year. Work on strength and getting my pace back. Then, in January switch to a marathon training plan. … and keep going.

I am worried that if I stop now I could risk losing this normal feeling ankle so I am using that as momentum to just … keep .. running!

So, we will see how things go… if the rheumatoid flares up or if things are good.

I am excited to have a little more normal but also equally cautious that this could be a decision that I need to keep monitoring.

The goal is to keep progressing and not get obsessive, which I like to do. It has been hard to limit running to 3 or 4 days but I have so many other moving parts to my life that I really don’t have time for more right now.

I will report back later.

Thanks for reading!
Christina

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Running in the Winter – Cold, but possibly better than that treadmill!

It’s funny .. so seasons I love to run in the winter and then others I forget that it’s not so bad and I grumble on those cold days. While I like running on the treadmill less I still have to keep reminding myself that a chilly winter day is not so bad for a run, if you are smart about it!

• Dress as if it’s 20 degrees warmer out than that thermometer says. When you run your body temperature is going to go up … and it does this pretty quickly. If you walk out dressed like an eskimo you will be peeling the layers back in no time!

• Dress in layers, so that you can tweak your gear if you did not get it quite right. A base layer and then an outer layer may work, that way if you are too warm you can scale down because you have the options to do so easily.

• If it’s cold, cover that head! Remember what we were told when we were younger? … Body heat escapes from your head. If we’re out and it’s cold let’s grab a hat to wear.

• Wear sunscreen. Most people assume that since it’s winter there is no need but the sun is no less pleasing to your skin in the winter than it is in the summer.

• Sun > shade. If it’s chilly out maybe you run on the sunny side of the street? It can help by 10 degrees or more, depending on the day.

• Watch where you step. Did it just snow? Is there a little ice in places? Winter is the time we need to watch those surfaces a bit closer so that we don’t hit a patch and take a spill …

If you’re still scratching your head over what to wear outside, you’re in luck! This page is one that I check all of the time when I am second guessing my running gear! Give it a few details and it will give you a pretty good recommendation!

Thanks for reading!

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