Forwaaaaard, March... DOUBLE TIME!!!

Finally - FINALLY - I can RUN again!!!!!!

It has been a looooooong eleven and a half weeks for me. I went from 40 miles a week to nothing, just like that, when I stepped on a rock and broke my ankle the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. I spent six weeks in a boot with absolutely no physical activity, and the last five weeks able to walk, swim and cycle but still no running.

And today - today, the good Dr. Powell gave me the best possible news: I. Can. RUN.

I know I need to start slow - a half mile run, half mile walk, half mile run, half mile walk to start out. I honestly kind of surprised myself by being a good patient and not running this long in the first place, so I know I can follow doctor's orders and work my way back up to normal. Well, to what's normal for me. As my coworker so kindly pointed out, running 40 miles a week isn't normal. To her.

I think if I'd done this ten years ago, I would've poo-pooed the need to ramp it back up, and probably would've gone right back to what I was doing before I broke it. And, most likely, probably would have hurt it again. Wisdom comes with age, they say. They are right.

Despite having to start slow, the doctor gave me some unexpected and welcome news that it should only take about 8 weeks to be back to that normal. Which means I'll have enough time to train for Baton Rouge in January, and then whatever else ends up on the spring race schedule from there. Still not sure if I'll actually get into Boston this year given the circumstances around last year's bombing and those who didn't finish automatically granted entry this year - rightfully so. If I do get in, awesome - I'll be up in Bean Town in April crossing off an item on my life list much, much earlier than I ever expected to.

If not, though, there are always options. Lots and lots of options, especially if I broaden the options to include triathlons. The broken ankle obviously kept me from racing any tris this summer, and ironically, two of the three local races I would've done were cancelled. In my weird triathlete mindset, that means I was actually #winning when I broke my ankle. Don't question, don't judge. Just ask Sarah - she'll explain.

So Bean Town, triathlon, marathon, or some combination of the above, look out, Spring schedule. I'm back, and I'm all in. As usual.