You Gotta Start Somewhere

I am new to this whole blogging thing.  It wasn't until a few months ago that I even started subscribing to and reading blogs.  But the more blogs I found, the more I knew I wanted to start my own!  There is something about reading what other (mostly women runners) write on their blogs that made me realize what a great outlet a blog can be for getting out emotions, connecting with others and putting goals on "paper".  I have loved hearing other people's stories about picking a challenging goal and then putting in the hard miles and training runs to realize their goals.  I have also loved reading about their personal lives -- fun family vacations, frustrating mornings with toddlers, the balance of work/family/exercise, exciting milestones in their or their children's lives and the little things that make up all our days.

So this is my starting point -- everyone has to start somewhere, right?!

I can't predict exactly where this blog will go from here but I hope to share many of the same things that others have shared in discussing my life, family, running, goals and dreams.

One of my first goals is to simply get back to running.  I ran the Newport Marathon (in Newport, Oregon) on June 2nd of this year and have been injured ever since that day.  I have what is called extensor tendinitis in my left foot.  After putting in so many miles and never really having any injuries, this is new territory for me.  The most frustrating part of it all is that the tendinitis was supposedly caused by my *stupidly* tying my shoelaces differently for the marathon.  I should know better than to try something new right before a big race!  It pulled the laces tight across the top of my foot and caused the tendinitis that I just can't seem to get rid of, even after two months of almost NO running, a cortisone shot on the top of my foot and daily icing.  I'm really trying hard to nip this in the bud as I have to start running again in another month or so to begin training for my next marathon...

Speaking of my next marathon, I am planning to run Boston in April 2013 and will be so disappointed if this injury keeps me from realizing that dream.  I have qualified for Boston several times in the past and have never actually run it.  But I have a big birthday coming up in a couple of months (yikes!) and want to run Boston as part of my celebration of turning 40.  But even more important than running Boston, this injury has made me realize just how much running means to me.  There are so many things that I love about running that it will have to be saved for another (or many more) posts.  Let's just say I hope to be running for the rest of my life so right now I'm just trying to balance my near-term goal of Boston with my long-term goal of a life spent running.  In order to do this, I'm really taking it easy but it is hard to do...especially since I live in Portland, Oregon.  Here in Portland, we run in the rain, sleet, mist, fog and generally gray days for nine months of the year and, as a reward, are able to run in the gorgeous Portland summer.  It is so hard to wake up every day to beautiful weather and not be able to run on my favorite trails or my well-worn neighborhood routes!

Because I have never suffered from any injury, I have always taken my health and my running for granted.  Warm-up and cool-downs -- what's that?  Cross-training -- who has the time?  Stretching -- ha!  I would like to say that I will become more respectful of my body and my limitations once my foot is completely healed.  And that I will never take running for granted again.  At the same time, I feel like the clock is ticking and that any future PR's will start to slip away after I turn 40.  I have never really challenged myself to see what I am capable of doing and hate to think my best days might be behind me.  Has anyone set PR's past 40??  I hope so!

Okay, I think that's it for today.  As I'm typing, I'm simultaneously watching the USA women's soccer team in a semi-final match against Canada.  After two extra periods, it is about to go to penalty kicks to resolve the tie.  So I'm getting distracted!  Thanks to anyone who is reading this -- not that I think anyone is out there yet.  :)

USA just scored with 30 seconds to go in the final period!!!  Wahoo!

- Kristen