- I returned to running in November. Jack's sickness was finally diagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and it ultimately had to do with a lot of stress from playing trombone in the school band. With medication, a change in diet and the removal of Jack from the ensemble performances, he's gotten much better and has been pain-free for about a month and a half.
- In late November, I started running every other day again, or at least three times a week, weather permitting. Fortunately, the weather has been very mild this year, especially through much of December. I had a couple of good runs around Christmas, but the holidays derailed the routine.
- I also wore out another pair of running shoes around Christmas, and it took a while to find a new pair. The outlet stores were all out of my style of shoe on our trip to N.J., so I didn't find them until after the first of the year. But this time, I bought TWO pairs, so that when I chew through the current pair, I will have a backup pair at the ready.
- I've also worn out the knee braces I've had for the past year and a half. Parts of them are falling out, causing them to lose support and I could feel a slight strain in my left knee on my run today. I need to get another pair from Walmart.
So, today was my first run since around Christmas, and it was GREAT! I felt strong. I ran well, and best of all it was a great day for a run. The temperatures were in the 50s, which is wonderful for early January.
For me, winters are miserable. I get depressed with the short days and the sub-zero or single-digit temps that keep me inside. To actually get out and run in January was a big boost for me, and my hope is that this will help carry me through the winter.
We've had only a couple of days of bitterly cold weather, and my hope is that the temps stay in the 20s or 30s most of the time. If that happens, I should be able to keep running regularly. I am at the point that it feels like I can run easier when the temp is around 30.
So long as I cover up with sweats, all I need is a couple of minutes to warm up, and then the weather feels perfect.
For Christmas, Amy gave me a knit hat I can run in. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I am looking forward to it.
