If you follow me on Twitter (and I hope you do! – @RunAttitude) then you may have seen yesterday’s tweet:
Yes! Yes! Yes! After 8 long weeks I’ve been green-lighted! Despite the desire to throw on my running shoes and sprint out of my doctor’s office I know I’ve got to be smart about this. So as I venture back out on to the roads, here are a few tips I plan to bear in mind:
Take it slow: My doctor’s parting words to me and crucial advice to follow so I don’t end up injured. To start, I will be more focused on time on my feet vs. miles covered.
Build core strength: Focusing on building core strength — abs, hips, and glutes — will improve both stability and balance – critical after such a long layoff.
Cross-train: Every workout cannot and should not be a run. Now that I can run again, it is tempting to want to only run, but I know that it will be more important than ever to give both muscles and ligaments a break from the stresses of running. Cross-training will help improve my endurance, especially while my mileage is low.
Be kind to yourself: It’s easy to get caught in the trap of comparison, but it’s important to remember that everyone’s comeback is different.
Set realistic goals: While I’m very goal-oriented, I know it’s going to be important to have a mix of goals – both big and small. I’ll admit that I do have my eye on a couple of races…and I may have even registered for one 
Having smaller goals along the way will help me both track my progress and stay motivated towards the bigger goal. The key is to take it one day at a time, celebrate small victories and be grateful to be running again.
Have you ever had a long lay-off from running?
I’m linking up with Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia for the #FridayFive link up. They’re sharing their favorite cool weather drinks so be sure to stop by.
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