[JOINING THE BAND WAGON...]

SO IVE JOINED THE BLOGGING BAND WAGON...

REALLY I JUST AM EXCITED TO HAVE AN OUTLET TO VENT AND/OR SHARE SOME FUN STORIES.

ALLLLLRIGHTTTY... HERE GOES NOTHING:

IVE RUN A FULL MARATHON AND TWO HALF MARATHONS. I REALLY REALLY WANT TO DO A HALF TRIATHLON... MY NORMAL RUNS ARE AROUND 6 MILES 3-4 TIMES A WEEK (WITH A STROLLER, MIND YOU. I CALL IT "RESISTANCE TRAINING").

RECENTLY I WAS ALMOST CONVINCED TO DO A FULL MARATHON ON A WHIM. SO I STARTED TRAINING, BUT I THINK I JUST DID TOO MUCH TOO FAST. SO MORE THINGS BESIDES MY BAD KNEES STARTED TO HURT, LIKE MY HIPS. LET ME TELL YOU, .... YOU KIND OF NEED EVERYTHING FROM THE WAIST DOWN TO WORK WITHOUT PAIN TO ENJOY YOUR RUN. BUT I STUCK IT OUT AND GOT UP TO A 16 MILE RUN! MORE RECENTLY IVE COME ACROSS A PROBLEM OR TWO...

PROBLEM #1: LIKE IVE PREVIOUSLY SAID, I HAVE BAD KNEES... RECENTLY MY "GOOD" KNEE TURNED EVIL. REALLY EVIL, LIKE MAD SCIENTIST EVIL. SOOOO I HAVE NOT RUN FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. IM SURE EVERYONE HAS LOVED SOMETHING WITH ALL THEIR HEART. HAVE YOU HAD IT TAKEN AWAY? ITS PRETTY MUCH THE WORST THING EVER.I FOUND MYSELF GETTING INTO A RUT. LIKE BIG GRAND CANYON RUT. JUST SO DEPRESSED, I JUST ATE MORE AND COUCH CAMPED (WHICH IS NOT ME AT ALL). OF COURSE I THOUGHT ABOUT ALTERNATIVES. PROBLEM #2: I HATE GYMS, I ENJOY SWEATIN IT OUT IN THE SUNSHINE, FRESH AIR ETC. I ENJOY YOGA, BUT THE CLASSES IN MY TOWN WERE JUST TOO DARN EXPENSIVE. I LIKED THE IDEA OF GETTING INTO BIKING... BUT ROAD BIKES START AROUND $500 (A USED BEGINNERS BIKE). PROBLEM #3: I DONT HAVE AN EXTRA LARGE CHUNK OF CHANGE TO BUY A BIKE, IT WOULD TAKE ME QUITE AWHILE TO SAVE UP FOR IT AND I NEEDED SOME KIND OF EXERCISE OUTLET PRONTO.
BUT! (THERES ALWAYS A BUT) ONE DAY, I JUST COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE, AND AFTER A LONG DAY I DECIDED I DIDN'T CARE HOW FAR I RAN, EVEN IF IT WAS 5 STEPS,... I JUST HAD TO! I COULDNT TAKE IT ANYMORE! SO I WENT ON A RUN. IT WAS AMAZINGGGG. I PROBABLY RAN WITH A HUGE EAR TO EAR SMILE ON MY FACE, IT WAS LIKE I GOT MY SOUL BACK! I DID A WHOLE MILE. WHICH IN MY MIND SET IS BARELY A WARMUP. I FOUND MYSELF RUNNING SLOWER THAN I NORMALLY DO JUST TO ENJOY MY MILE. I REALLY FOCUSED ON FORM AND BREATHING. MY KNEE DIDN'T HURT, I CAME HOME TO STRETCH AND ICE IT. ALL WAS WELL IN THE RUNNING WORLD! I WAS SO INCREDIBLY STOKED.

ALRIGHTY: TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE... IM STILL SAVING FOR A BIKE, HOPEFULLY BY NEXT PAYCHECK I CAN BE SERIOUS ABOUT BUYING ONE (!!!). IM TAKING RUNNING REALLY SLOW AND DONT WANT TO OVER DO IT... SO IM GOING TO SLOWING INCREASE MY MILEAGE AS LONG AS IT DOESNT HURT. STRETCHING, EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN MY QUADS (TO HELP WITH MY PATELLA FEMORAL TRACKING ISSUES), AND OVERALL TRYING TO CONVINCE MYSELF TO NOT OVERDO IT BECAUSE ITS NOT WORTH THE SET BACK. BABY STEPS. BABY STEPS. BABY STEPS.

PROBLEM #4: BECAUSE I WENT FROM RUNNING 3/4 TIMES A WEEK TO DOING JUST ABOUT NOTHING, IVE GAINED A LITTLE BIT. IM TERRIFIED OF THE SCALE. THEN I WENT ON VACATION. TO THE SOUTH, FRIED FOOD ANYONE? NOW IM TRYING TO GET BACK ON TRACK, EATING BETTER (WHICH IS HARD WHEN YOU LIVE WITH 3 BOYS THAT CAN EAT ANYTHING THEY WANT), AND NOW THAT I AM "RUNNING" IM HOPING I CAN GET BACK INTO MY ROUTINE AND BE MYSELF AGAIN. EVERYDAY FOR ABOUT THE LAST WEEK IVE EITHER RAN OR WENT ON A BIKE RIDE ON MY BEACH CRUISER AROUND TOWN. ITS A GOOD START ;D

THANKS FOR LISTENING,
J