It has been suggested that I can be a little 'intense' at times, and maybe even a little 'neurotic.' I happen to agree with this assessment. And my first run after 16 days of mandatory rest further illustrated those particular characteristics.

I had a small window of opportunity for my short, but monumental, 3-miler.

Lunchtime. Sun shining, temps around 35F. Clear roads. Perfect set up.

I went out relaxed and slow. Or, at least, I thought it so...until I noticed that my pace was 8:30.

Here's a peek into my inner monlogue:

Slow down dummy!!

OK, OK.

See? That's better!

Um. No. Now you're at 8:18. Heeelllloooooo!

Right. Slowing. Down.

OK. I got it. I'm at 9:00. I got it.

Hey this feels OK.

Wait. What was that? That little niggle, right there? What was that!?

It's gone. Deep breath.

So. This is what cold air in my lungs feels like....I had forgotten!

This feels OK...I'm OK.

So if I run 3-miles today, and 3-mile tomorrow and then on Friday, I'll run....STOP STOP STOP.

Let's get to that tree and then to that driveway. Let's not count up the miles before then.

Hey there's a tree! And the sun! And it's a perfect, beautiful day for a run!

And...oh...I'm done.

Just like that, the 3-miler came to an end, with an average pace of 9:00 mpm.

The ITB seemed to tighten up after I stopped, so I just stretched like crazy. There were some strange muscle-things happening for the rest of the day - even after the massage at PT - but by this morning, it had all mellowed out.

The 3-miler I did today produced similar results, with - dare I say - even less niggles and tightness than yesterday.

I'm cautious with my joy. I'm trying not to get excited.

Hell, I'm just happy to be running again.

I've been remiss in my duties as a running-blogger.

Runderwoman (I love that name!) hosted last week's rundown, highlighting some lessons learned and inspiration found.

This week's rundown, Beast was the globally-warm host extolling the virtues of unseasonable weather.

Be sure to pay both a visit!

I'll be running today, at some point, outside, as long as all the stars align just right. Think pain-free, relaxed-ITB thoughts for me.

I haven't been running.

I swear. Cross my heart and hope to die.

It really hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be...even with above-average temperatures, making the weather an amazing treat for January. And even with a million things happening that have me totally stressed out, I've still been able to resist the siren call of running. I'm keeping my eye on the big picture - long-term running health - and adjusting my attitude as needed.

Instead of running, I've been swimming and ellipticaling (I guess that's a word now, right?). I did go to spin class one night, and felt my ITB complain, so I decided to steer clear of biking for the time being. And of course, I've been stretching and strengthening - at home as well as at Physical Therapy.

For the most part, the ITB feels great. It's soooo much looser. Overall, my leg feels amazing - muscles are stretched, rested and ready to go. I don't want to give up my PT...getting my leg stretched and massaged twice a week has been absolute heaven.

(I'm worried that my legs will be un-balanced since one got all this fabulous treatment and the other one just came along for the ride. My husband made a joke that I'd only be able to run in a circle.)

The best news of the week: my PT gave me the 'all-clear' to run on either Monday or Tuesday. I'll wait and decide which day depending on the weather and other variables. I may run on the indoor track. I'd like to avoid the treadmill if I can. We'll see. *Fingers and toes crossed*

Thanks for all the comments regarding the new pictures that I've been trying out. I *do* realize that I don't have my trademark hat on in any of them. I'm hoping to have some new photos to share in the spring, so for now, I think the black&white with the orange-laces fits nicely. (Special thanks go to Olivia, the photographer and Ryan, Photoshopper and web-guy.)

(A note to the female runners -or cross-dressers- : I did notice that wearing high heels seemed to aggravate my ITB. If you've been having trouble with your ITB, keep an eye out for any correlation between the two).

Almost there.

Now that the initial shock has worn off, I am much more at peace with the 'no running for two weeks' prescription. Putting it all in perspective (thanks Joe!) and having an outpouring of empathy from all of you really helped me feel better about the situation.

For that, I am grateful.

Being who I am, I took a step back and decided to see what 'silver-linings' the situation had to offer me. And then I remembered a promise I made to my Physical Therapist. I told him that I was going to renounce myself as a non-stretcher and put forth the virtues of stretching, shouting it from the rooftops.

So I'm shouting. From my cyber-rooftop.

I am not an expert on stretching but I'm familiar with the different stretches and techniques. I should be ashamed of myself for being so lax about this particular part of the running process. Believe it or not, I actually have an advanced degree in Exercise Science. I should know better. I *do* know better.

*hangs head in shame*

Much like nurses or doctors are the worst patients, I have been the worst runner in the very important area of stretching. I knew it was necessary yet I continued to ignore it...and now look where I am! I *will not* travel this path again...I touched the stove, burned myself and now the lesson has been learned. I encourage you to learn from my mistakes as well.

Make sure you take time to STRETCH after every run...and not just a quick ankle-grabbing quad or hamstring stretch...really take the time to treat your muscles with the respect they deserve. If you are going to ask them to work hard for you, then you need to return the favor in kind. Healthy running can only come from taking care of your legs.

There are many theories as to how to properly stretch. My advice here is to pick a program that 1) works for YOU and 2) is something you can stick with. It's that simple. You might need to combine elements and techniques from different resources to put together a program that suits your needs. That's OK. As long as it works for YOU. Pick up a book. Check out a website. Consider adding yoga or pilates in to your weekly routine. Something. Anything. Just remember to stretch.

And never, ever underestimate the power of a good sports massage.

The best part? You'll be able to touch your toes again. I can actually bend over to tie my shoes again. I don't have to sit down, or prop my foot up on a railing. And I've only just begun!

So go on, push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Discover the true meaning of flexibility. Be a better runner. Be a healthy runner.

(if you already *do* these things...BRAVO...now go yell at your friends who don't!)

The future looked bright.

I had a fabulous run with Michelle last Wednesday...the 3 miles passed by quickly with no pain and no tightness. I was outside again! I felt the depression start to lift - there was hope! The ITB could be beaten!

I registered for the San Diego Rock-n-Roll Marathon and bought my plane ticket. I even coordinated my flights with April-Anne so we could travel together.

I was ready. Bring it on, I thought.

I ran on Saturday morning. It felt great. I kept the pace moderate and tried to avoid downhills and crowned surfaces.

I stopped to stretch at 2.5 miles.

By 3.5 miles, the tightness was there...just niggling a little bit...but there nonetheless.

I finished up at 4 miles and felt discouraged once again.

Not to be completely defeated, on Sunday morning, I jumped on the treadmill and ran the first 1.25 miles of jeff's marathon with him, in spirit at least. The tightness was still there. No pain. But tight. Which I knew wasn't good.

I knew I was going to be in trouble when I got to Physical Therapy today.

Him: 'Are you stretching too much?'
Me: 'How much is too much?'
Him: 'More than three times a day?'
Me: 'Nope.' (truth. i swear.)
Him: 'Don't use the roller after your runs.'

We decided to add two more PT sessions to the schedule, giving me 5 weeks of 2-days a week in total.

Then there was lots of pain and torture in the form of ultrasound (ok. that part didn't hurt. i'm being melodramatic. deal.)...and then lots of hard rubbing...followed by more hard massage...and finally some hard stretching. And of course, the ice.

As I'm getting up to leave, he drops the bomb:

Him: 'No running for two weeks.'
Me: Bland dumbfounded stare.
Me: 'You're joking right? You're pulling my leg? You can't possibly mean that. TWO WEEKS!?'
Him: 'I'm serious. Two weeks.'

At one point, I talked him down to one week...I whined and pleaded and said that I had already tried *not running* and it hadn't made a difference. I promised to bring him my running log just to prove it.

But we both knew. Heck, I knew on Saturday that something like this had to happen. I didn't argue with him as he said 'Two weeks' as I walked out the door.

Sigh.

So it looks like more spinning, elliptical, bike-trainer and swimming will be added to the schedule.

I hope I don't kill anyone in the next two weeks. That would be very bad. Do you think I could use 'no running' as a defense? I mean, if the Twinkie Defense worked, the No Running Defense should hold some power, right?

I never posted about Runners who Rock, as I was tagged.

Honestly, I just couldn't choose. And I couldn't come up with a creative way to choose from the hoards of runners that I think truly rock.

But today, I am going to highlight just one runner who rocks.

On Sunday, jeff will be tackling a goal that he has been working hard towards for months on end. He has had his eyes set on a sub-3 marathon for quite some time now, and his progress has been amazing and inspiring to watch. My jaw has hit the ground more than once, reading about his training and racing. I could babble on and on about how awesome he is - as a runner and a friend.

To make sure that jeff knew that the RBF was cheering for him, even though we couldn't be there in person, some of us put our heads and talents together and made him a special banner. It seemed only fitting since he likes to make banners for other people.

So with the help of Annalisa, Jank, Jon, Susie, Mark, Michelle and April-Anne, we created a special banner just for jeff to let him know that we are rooting for him. (Special thanks to Annalisa for her design work!!).

Check it out here!

And to jeff - kick some OC Marathon butt and run smooth and strong!

I don't usually set resolutions, per se. But I do like to examine my life and determine if I like the direction in which it is heading. As mentioned by Annalisa in her recent awesome post, my biggest goal right now is to make sure I feel like I am really living life, and not letting it all pass by me.

I don't ever want to look back and have any regrets. I already have a pocket full of regrets now, and I'd prefer to not have to use the other pocket too. Life really is a gift and I want to be sure I embrace it, take full advantage of it and never say 'If only...' and 'What if...'

I'm not so concerned about my career, although it would be rewarding to do something a little more meaningful. But on my death bed, I'm sure I won't be saying 'I wish I spent more time at work' - so I don't put too much pressure on myself when it comes to my career path.

For me, life is what happens when I'm not at work. And those are the moments that I want to make count. Sitting on my a** watching television is not rewarding or enriching to me. There are so many other things that I would rather be doing. Don't get me wrong, there is a time and place for the entertainment that comes on a screen, but does it really have to happen every single night? There are books to be read, blog-posts to be written, photos to be scrapbooked, wine to be sipped, dogs to be played with, friends to be called, music to be surrounded by, sun to be soaked up, trails to be hiked, new places to be traveled to and, of course, running/biking/swimming to be enjoyed.

Jank really hit the nail on the head with his post about FUN. It's that whole 'seize the day' mentality...I'm ready to grab on with both hands and really make it count.