Gonna Run 'Til I Don't Jiggle

Last night I broke out a new pair of running shoes and took them for a spin. They felt great! So much better than the running shoes I'd been using for the previous two years. I typically don't wear shoes past a year of running in them, but I've been running so inconsistently that it didn't make sense to spend money on shoes.

Which brings me to the point of this post - my spotty running habits since Lila was born. I've considered myself a "runner" since I graduated from college. I moved to a ranch in Montana for about six months post graduation. There wasn't a whole lot to do there, so I took up hiking and running a swimming. I ran my first half-marathon in Bozeman. And I kept up good shape while I was living in Iowa City by running regularly and walking EVERYWHERE. Same goes for Des Moines - training for half-marathons and using my legs as my primary source of transportation by biking or walking - even to get groceries.

When Nate and I moved to Austin so I could start graduate school at the University of Texas, I stepped things up a bit. I had to walk or ride my bike to campus every day. I trained for a half-marthon and my first full marathon. The only time I stopped running was when I broke my foot. By the time it healed, I was pregnant with Benny and decided to take some time off.

But after Benny was born, running became my therapy for postpartum depression. Plus I was home with Benny for two years, so we often walked or ran to the park - nearly every day. Once I started working, I continued running by picking Benny of from school, strapping him in his stroller and putting at least three miles in. I was even able to run two half-marathons in one year. Typically I can only squeeze one longer race in per year.

Rocky Mountain Half-Marathon, June 2009

Denver Half-Marathon, October 2009

For some reason, having a second child has really curbed my running. I'm not blaming Lila. I'm blaming our schedule. There are some major downsides to decreased activity. For one, as I'm getting older, I have noticed that the decline in activity has led to a bit of weight gain. Secondly, running truly is a form of therapy for me. I need to remember that this isn't just about physical health, it's about mental health too. So, I'm using the spring weather to get motivated again. Running is on the docket for sure. But so is biking. I'm now only three miles from work, so I can bike at least once a week.