How I Run: Starting from Scratch

5 months ago today, I was in awesome shape. Coming off a PR in the half marathon in the late spring, I spent the beginning of the summer riding my bike, hiking almost daily - with strength training and runs thrown in there too.

Then I went for a solo hike (although it being solo had nothing to do with the injury, just made the mile journey back to the car post incident more interesting), slipped on a rock, and it all went downhill.


(Smiling at the summit - little did I know what would happen next!)

I spent 6 weeks doing nothing. I thought I was going to go crazy - literally - there were numerous tear-filled conversations with my mom and KC about not being able to run or even swim. I started physical therapy, and started half-assing exercise. It was a balancing act between doing at least something to keep me sane, and not hurting myself more. It wasn't much but I didn't feel like quite a lazy bum.

I started to actually run again in October and then royally sprained my ankle in November. Ugh!

For the sake of my ski season - because while I like running, I looove skiing - I went cold turkey. I did my physical therapy exercises but nothing else until January 1st.

So here I am now - the 3rd week in January and I am... well a bit sore! I've run, biked, done lunges and pushups, played innertube basketball, and most importantly skied. I'm out of shape but not out for the count.

What I've learned from this whole experience: I am most certainly thankful for my body and all that it allows me to do!