Getting My (Healthy) Groove Back: Running

Over the next few weeks, I'll be doing a series of posts detailing how I'm getting myself back on track health and fitness wise.  Between having a baby, moving, school starting, and an injury, I've really fallen off the healthy wagon.  I finally feel like I'm back in the groove, so I wanted to share what I've done to get myself to that point.

Today we're going to talk about getting my (healthy) groove back in the area of.... running!

Truthfully, I'm not fully back in the running groove.  In fact, my last run was a short 2 mile run on August 3rd!

Why haven't I been running?  Well, the big thing hindering me from running lately was falling and spraining my foot back at the beginning of August.

Honestly, I've wanted to run, but it was painful just to walk from my house to the car to get to work.  It was painful to stand and teach.  It was painful to walk in my classroom.  Shoot, it was painful walking the 30 steps into the baby's room to get her when she'd wake up at night!  So, as much as I wanted to run, I knew I needed to take it easy once I got home.

And take it easy I have.  For about a month after my injury, I didn't do much on my feet other than getting around.  Around the beginning of September, I was finally able to walk a little more with no pain.  I started walking Tequila as far as I could until my foot started hurting.  Then, I started walking a little bit further as my foot got better.  Two weekends ago, I was able to walk about 2 miles with no pain at all!

Now, just under 2 months since my injury, I'm finally feeling back to normal enough to attempt a run this week.  I'm going to strive for 2 miles, running the first mile then using run/walk intervals during the second.  I don't want to re-injure it, so I will be listening to my body to see what I'll be able to do!  Slow and steady will certainly win the race here.

Over the last two months, I've learned a pretty valuable lesson.  The quickest way to get back into your running groove after an injury is to rest!  If I hadn't taken it easy then slowly worked in more activity, I doubt my foot would feel healed at this point.

So, what's next?
Well, I'm hoping that a run this week will go well enough to sign up for a 5K at the end of October.  I also need to begin training for the runDisney Princess Half Marathon weekend 2016, where I will be running the Glass Slipper Challenge (10K on Saturday, half marathon on Sunday)!  Having these goals, as well as my desire to get back out there pounding the pavement, should help keep me on track with scheduled runs!

(I'm linking up today with Erika, April, and Patty for Tuesdays on the Run!)

Question for you: How do you get back in your running groove after an injury?

Stay tuned for the next installment of Getting My (Healthy) Groove Back series...Healthy Eating!