Sneaking back into running

For a while now, I've been incorporating more running into my schedule. It's been difficult to get over this hip injury, and my ITBS often flares up as well, but I'm working on it. First, it was a 20-minute run, on the treadmill, once per week. As much as I hate to admit it, that was really pushing it for me. I worked my way up to two 20-min runs. Then I tried the great outdoors. Now, I am running for about 40 minutes, outside, twice per week. Soon, I plan to add an extra day. And I'll probably hold there for a while, building a longer run on one of those days, until that long run is as long as my mileage for the rest of the week. Then, and only then, will I consider adding a fourth day. I think that for injury-maintenance reasons, I will avoid five-day per week runs for a long, long time. I'd want to be injury-free for at least a year before even considering a fifth day. It's been an interesting journey. Without running, no matter what I do for exercise, I feel off. Nothing relieves my stress, provides a challenge, and makes me sleep well at night like running does. Without running, I'm less happy in general and far less motivated to work.

And despite knowing all this, half my battle to resume running has been a mental one. The fear of reinjury plagues me. I am essentially unwilling to commit to any races because the pessimist in me is sure that once again, everything will be going smoothly until nearly the end of the cycle, when, for one reason or another, I will be forced to stop running for a bit. My brain is reacting to the fear of never being able to run again by amplifying normal soreness into cause for concern. For the first time ever, what I find challenging about running is getting out the door. Fortunately, every run I have gone on, good or bad, has been helping me cope with this. I'm sure this confession will help. I know I'm getting there. I have a plan now. I'll be good.

Yesterday, I went for a 4-mile run. My inhaler must not have fired properly, and I was struggling for air the entire way. I had an omelette for breakfast that wasn't agreeing with me. My Shuffle kept choosing music from my one Debussy CD instead of the many swing and rock pieces I've included (swing--the best running music). My legs felt absolutely dead.

But I finished my run.

And it (and I) felt fabulous.