When it comes to sports and working out, I consider myself a runner.  It’s not something I’ve ever really loved (or hell, even enjoyed until very recently), it’s just something I’ve always been able to do.  In high school I loved soccer.  And sucked at it.  Horribly.  Cross country?  Loathed.  But routinely scored in the top five of my team.  Go figure.

I haven’t been in race shape since, and more to the point, haven’t kept running as a daily part of my life.  Especially during my travels.  I’ve had bouts of fitness here and there where I’d run a few times a week, but always to be “healthy” and “in shape” and never racking up mileage or gunning for speed.

All this to say, I hadn’t run like it mattered in years.  And when you start running again, it’s hard.  Huffing and puffing, lumbering like a water buffalo, with only one thought going through my brain: WHENISTHISGOINGTOBEOVER?!

There were concerns voiced about doing too much too soon and injuring myself and training wisely, not foolishly.  My knees would be a little stiff or sore after runs, which hadn’t happened since my race days.  I wanted to keep pushing myself and improving, but I didn’t want to hurt myself.

So I did something I’ve never done before: spinning.

Have you taken a spinning class?  Holy Hannah that stuff is hard.  We’re talking dripping with sweat, soaking through everything you’re wearing, hating your life, flat out DYING on a bicycle.  I mean, I’ve heard spinning is hard stuff.  But spinning is HARD STUFF.

I have absolutely no idea if spinning will help with my runs or The Relay, but it was a high-intensity workout that was easy on my knees (and hard on everything else).  I figured not running for a day would give my joints a breather, but I’d still get in a full load of conditioning.  And then on Thursday I doubled up and did spinning in the morning and ran in the afternoon — and then promptly died.  It was so hard I was practically dragging myself across the pavement.  Which is probably how I’ll feel come leg #3 this weekend.  Oof.

No idea if I’ll stick with spinning post-relay; at the moment I’m leaning toward not.  Today was my third (and final) spinning class in preparation, and it was marginally easier than my first two.  Which is always encouraging.

In any event, I’m pleased I squeaked in some solid conditioning.  I’m sure it’s all mental, but it feels good feeling better prepared for the big race.

So I’ll add a photo:  I can balance my running shoes, creating a “shoe tree!”

Okay, you all are groaning now.  I swear I have other “talents.”

As you can see, I have three pairs:

The outside pair is my “for the trails” pair. They appear gray rather than white, even after being hosed down repeatedly, natch. The shiny thing is a RoadID shoe pouch.

The center pair is my road pair. Their blinding whiteness seems to indicate I’ve never used them, but I promise they have some miles in them. There is probably some pixie dust in there since I used them for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon last month.

And then of course the Vibram Five Fingers are perched on top, the “shoes” to which Brenna referred during the previous post: Barefoot Running. (My son picked out the aqua color. I was quite indecisive about which pair to select.)

So which will I use for The Relay?

I’m bringing my princess-approved blindingly-white ones and the Vibram Five Fingers.  I haven’t decided for certain whether I’ll start out in the Five Fingers, but I expect I’ll wear them for at least one leg. After all, I do everything barefoot. My neighbors think I am completely crazy for taking the trash out in the rain barefoot, or for weeding in the mud barefoot. But, I’ll bring the standard shoes just in case my calves and shins cry foul or if I chicken out trying to do the Five Fingers on “unexplored territory.”

I know shoes are supposed to be “the most important” piece of the running outfit, but I definitely admit being fickle at this point. (Plus, I’d say my bra is the most important piece; but that is a whole different topic.)

Yet being fickle has its upsides, because I can create a tower with my shoes!

About 15 years ago, after a soccer injury in high school, I had a series of three knee surgeries.  A.C.L. replacements, double meniscus repairs, the works.  I was down for the count each time for at least six weeks.  I even tried on my wedding dress with a pair of crutches.  Good times.  I thought I’d never run, or do any kind of aerobic activity again after the horrifically painful and rehab intensive recoveries of my knee surgeries.  Over time, I tested myself with different levels of fitness and in the last five years I became confident enough in my knee to start running.  It’s been pretty great.  I still have pain in my knee, but I’m thrilled to run after everything I’ve been through.

So a few months ago when I was reading this awesome blog, Running Relays,  I happened upon a review of a company called Moji which sells icing products for runners.  For anyone actually, but obviously I thought of my knee, and my knee after running.

This ice pack is awesome and I’ll tell you why.  It fits around my knee.  I’ve spent a lot of time with ice packs on my knee and none of them have conformed to my knee.  Frozen peas, Zip Locks filled with ice, you name it, I’ve tried it.  Until I tried the Moji Knee I’d never used an ice pack that actually straps around the circumference of my knee and cools it on all sides.  This thing is awesome.  I keep it in my freezer and when I come home from a run I strap it on for a half hour while I cool down from the run.  It’s pretty ingenious, the little gel cells freeze separately and can be thawed and refrozen as many times as you need to use it.

I love this brace.  I wear it every time I get done running and pop it back in the freezer to be used over and over again. 

Brilliant.

I was definitely in need of a new playlist that would get my toes tapping & my heart racing… so I’ve compiled 41 of my favorite running tunes. Interested in adding a few of my favs to your running playlist? You can check out the all the songs HERE.

I’ll admit it, the most running I’ve done in the last 10 years possibly came from a trip… allegedly. Did I just say that out loud?! But this is the year and the team that is going to make that all change.

Here’s to running and tripping to running and laughing and not sleeping with a team of awesome bloggers. I can’t wait!

ps. If you haven’t seen Ellen’s Here And Now… you should rent it this weekend, you will laugh out loud…for real. Not just the LOL version you tell all your friends you’re doing.

I had January 1st circled on my calendar as THE DAY to dust my sneakers off and GET MOVING!  And then today – it was here. 2010.

So… this morning I set off.

I can honestly say that I have not run since September.  I was excited to get “back out there,” but also terrified.  This is a challenge I am totally putting myself up to in 2010…

I ran 2 miles this morning.

I can say – it KICKED MY BUTT.  But I did it.  I did it with my Livestrong gear on… enjoying the beautiful snowy morning and embracing the New Year.

Nobody was out this morning.  It was just me.  My iPod wasn’t charged up, so I set out with nothing – just me and my inner thoughts.  You know what?  It felt good.  It felt REAL good.  It wasn’t like I ran 10 miles or anything earth-shattering… but I did what I could do on Day 1.

And so… my running journey has begun…

Eat.  Check.

Blog.  Check.

RUN.  Check.  Check.