Listening...(again)

  I'm sitting on my couch with a nasty cough and some oh-so-pleasant wheezing in my chest instead of going out for a lovely 4 mile run on this lovely fall day.  This normally would not bother me too much because I would be normally be on some kind of a running schedule.  But I'm not!!!

  Let me backtrack before I go off the deep-end from the lack of my running endorphin rush.  Ten days ago I finished my second marathon at the 2012 Under Armour Baltimore Running Festival.  Running 26.2 miles through Charm City was one of the best running experiences I've had so far in my limited running experience.  We had a beautiful day for running!

Sunny weather with a starting temperature of 42 degrees...

Good Morning Baltimore!

With my fellow sole sistas at the (slightly chilly) start

awesome crowds...

Running towards a DJ and cheering crowds at the UA campus at mile 11...

Getting cheered on by the penguins at the Maryland Zoo!

and a FANTASTIC finish running through Camden Yards amidst cheering crowds to that finish line and my 2nd 26.2 medal...

At the Mile 26 marker, where we ran past Camden Yards with crowds cheering us on!

We survived 26.2 miles!!!

  But, needless to say, my ankle was feeling the stress of running 26.2.  At work the following evening, I would simply be charting and my ankle would send me these short twinges of pain.  Just from sitting there.  Seriously.  So a recovery period was necessary and this leads me back to why I have not run since October 13.  I've been injured twice before.  My first was an achilles tendonitis that took me the better part of 9 months to recover from.  My second injury was an ignored plantar fasciitis which cost me another few precious months of recovery.  Yeah, I have no desire to endure another injury.  

  So last week, running was out of the equation.  I did some spinning, strength training, and yoga.   It hardly felt like I did anything but I was still moving and that's the most important point.  Sometimes I need to ignore what my mind tells me and simply listen to what my body is asking me to do.  And today, just like last week, my body is asking me to rest.  (Gah!)  It's annoying and frustrating.  But it's what I have to do if I want to continue with this sport that I love.  So, yes, running and I must endure a temporary separation.  But if I want to be healthy enough to be here again...

...then I need to obediently listen to my body and (sigh) rest.