How I started running again.

No running again today to give the hip one more day to rest up. I am going to jump in an ice bath though because that probably can't hurt (except for my soul)! Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get a few miles in.

I love running. There, I said it. I was trying to keep it a secret before ;)

So why stop doing something you love for 6 years? I am not sure! I'd been running since 7th grade and then ran my first couple years of college and for some reason I felt a lot of pressure at that point (from myself?). I guess I just got really tired mentally and was not at my healthiest. There were definitely lots of good times running in college (a pun because good times = fun and I got faster!). Me racing in college (#30).  I know, top notch photo quality.

 Hmm, I was much thinner then. But that’s ok because I now know you cannot run yourself into the ground and subsist on lettuce and ketchup at the same time (lettuce and ketchup isn’t that bad together, but I suggest also including actual food in your diet!). That’s not the story I want to tell though, this story is much happier! 

I want to talk about HOW I came to revisit the world’s greatest sport. I’m not a coach, doctor, or anything else professional (well, a social worker, but nobody listens to us anyway. joking. kind of.) but here is what worked for me:

• My fitness was not horrible to begin. Frank and I love hiking, biking, cross country skiing, walking the dog, and generally being outside.
• I started running short distances and SLOW. So so slow. I didn’t time myself, but I am pretty sure I was running at least 2 minutes/mile slower than I am on average now.
• Every run was a victory that I was super proud of! The first time I ran 5 miles, I had a small party for myself. Positive. Self. Talk. Just do it!
• I never compared myself with the times or distances I used to run. But my long runs are now further than I ever ran before and I’m hopeful that I will be faster than ever in the next year!
• Smile!! When I’m not feeling especially awesome about my run, I start smiling like crazy. The people I run past really DO think I am crazy, but I promise it takes about 30 seconds of grinning my face off and I’m having a blast.
• I listen to music when I run now, which I never did before but now love. Nothing motivates me like my girls Nicki, Pink, Katy, and my main man Usher.
• I use map my run so I can run wherever I want and still know the distance, time, pace, and elevation.  
• Frank sometimes rides his bike with me while I run. It's like a date; he carries my water, tells me I look really good running in front of him, and takes pictures of me. Yep, I'm super lucky.
• We hiked a lot over the summer and I am convinced that it helped me get in shape faster.

Here are the first 21 weeks of my comeback to running (I’m a few weeks beyond this now, just not caught up on my handy dandy spreadsheet). Enjoy my weird and random additions and exclamation points. I am really not afraid to pump myself up (I took out all the smiley faces because it was just embarrassing). Again, this is not a professional guide or anything—it is just what worked for me so far.

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Total
1	Rest	1 mile	Rest	1 mile	Rest	1 mile	1 mile	4
2	1 mile	Rest	1 mile	1 mile	Rest	1 mile	1 mile	4
3	Rest	1 mile	Rest	1 mile	Rest	1 mile	Rest	3
4	Rest	1.7mi	1 mile	Rest	1.6 mi	1.5 mi	Rest	5.8
5	1.5 mi	Rest	2 mile	2 mile	CT	2.5 mi	2 mi	10
6	Rest	2 mi	1.4 mi	2.5 mi	CT	3 mi	2 mi	10.9
7	bike	2.5 mi	W1h,rest	2.5 miles	2 mi +Hike	3.5 mi	Hike	10.5
8	2.5 mi	2 mi	2.5 mi	CT	3 mi	5 mi	Rest	15!
9	2.5 mi	5 mi	Hike	3 mi	2.5mi  +Hike	Hike	2mi	15
10	3 mi	2.5 mi	5 6 mi	rest	3 mi +bike	3 mi  + Hike	Bike	17.5
11	3 mi	3 mi	6 7 mi	Rest	3 mi +Hike	Hike	3.5 mi +Hike	19.5
12	3 mi	8 mi	Rest/ct	3 mi	4 mi +Hike	Beach walk	3 mi	21
13	Rest	3 mi	8 9 mi	Rest	3 mi	3 mi +Hike	Hike	18
14	3.1 mi	3.6 mi	9 mi	Short bike	4 mi workout +bike	3 mi +hike +bike	Rest/CT	22.7
15	10 mi	Rest/CT	4 mi workout	Rest	1.5 mi	4 mi +Hike	3 mi	22
16	10.5	Bike	4 mi workout	3.3 mi	3.7 mi +Hike	Hike	3.9 mi	25.4
17	11 mi	3 mi +Hike	Rest	5.7 mi	4 mi Workout	3 mi	Rest/ct	26.7
18	11 mi	Rest/ct	3 mi	4 mi	Rest/CT	4 mi	11.5	33.5
19	Hike	4.5 mi workout +Pilates	4 mi	1.5 mi +spin	4.5 mi	rest	11 mi	25.5
20	Rest/CT	4 mi workout +Pilates	4 mi	Spin	5 mi	3.3 mi	13 mi	29.3
21	Rest/CT	3.1 mi +Pilates	4 mi Workout	spin	4.5 mi	5k race + 1.5 mi 4.5 mi	10 mi	26.1

I’m looking forward to slowly building up to some higher mileage as a base to train for Grandma's Marathon. Who else wants to do this one?! Have I mentioned this before? Hah.

And here’s my two biggest fans, probably discussing how much they love me :)

Have a terrific Tuesday!

If you're a runner, tell me how you started running. What keeps you motivated?