just keep running, just keep running.

Well, here's to New Year's resolutions. This year, one of my New Year's resolutions was to write on this blog more… and here we are, six months into the year, and I am posting my first blog. I did, however, have one semi-successful New Year's resolution once, and that is what is on my mind today.

This week, I had a bit of a scare. After a long day of walking and carrying groceries on Sunday, I developed excruciating back pain and numbness that ran down my leg. I've had similar issues before and they went away on their own with stretching, ibuprofen, and a little bit of light exercise--but this time it was so bad that I couldn't even walk down the stairs in my apartment building. So, I decided to go to a chiropractor, in Lincoln Square which I would highly recommend. When I met with the chiropractor, he informed me that my pelvis was rotated and did many wonderful chiropractor things that made me feel quite a bit better, but he also showed me some awesome things to improve my mobility (did you guys know about foam rollers?) and gave me running advice.

Anyway, chiropractor-tangent aside, the back pain scared me because I wasn't able to move regularly. I wasn't able to walk very easily, and I certainly wasn't able to run.

Today I went for a run. And as I ran, I thought about running. And here are some of the things I thought about.

1. Four years ago, I resolved to run the Boulder Bolder--a 10k race in Boulder, Colorado (for all you non-runners/non-Coloradoans). Admittedly, at the time much of my motivation was related to weight loss--I was not at a very healthy weight, I hated running, and I was getting married in six months. The first mile I ran on the journey, I ran in twelve minutes on a treadmill in a crowded rec center with my friend Kim about 25 minutes after I finished a pint of beer. I was shocked that I could still run a mile which I hadn't done since my junior year of high school, and I quickly learned never to drink a beer before running again. I never ran the Boulder Bolder, but I did discover that I actually like running.

2. Unlike four years ago, my motivations for running now have nothing to do with weight loss. Of course, I want to run to keep myself healthy, but I run because I enjoy it, it makes me feel good, and I love to conquer goals that I have set for myself. 

3. I am so thankful that I am strong enough  mentally and physically to push myself to run--even on hot days.

4. I have been troubled lately by people who treat exercise as penance for eating things. Sure, everyone needs balance in their lives but I like to enjoy my food without thinking about how much exercise I will need to do to "work it off." I ate a donut today. And I ran today. I did not run today because I ate a donut. I ate a donut because I like donuts, and I went for a run because I like runs. 

5. I have been wearing the same outfit to run in for at least two and a half years. (Don't worry I wash it.) I like to think that is because I don't care too much what I look like when I run (shout out to Kelly Cook for planting this idea in ninth grade). In fact, I look really terrible when I run. My face gets really red and blotchy, if I run in the afternoon, my makeup from earlier in the day runs, and apparently I get crazy eyes, etc. etc.  In fact here is a selfie:

Not my greatest look, but I am smiling because I don't care--I just went for a run that challenged me, and there were times I wanted to stop, and it wasn't my best time ever, and it was hot, and I smelled someone grilling, and I just wanted to stop and eat a hamburger, but I didn't. I went on a run which is something that I actually couldn't do on Monday. 

So, looking back at the whole two blogs I have posted, I see that my number one goal for this year was to run a half marathon. And, I really do plan to keep that resolution.