Good evening friends! I hope all of you have had amazing days and were able to get a run or workout in. 🙂 Today was a day off of running for me. I’m still slowly building my mileage back up and being extra cautious so I do not reinjure my IT band. For the last week this has meant only running 3-3.5 miles every other day. It is better than nothing, though! Here’s a really cool pin I found on Pinterest to motivate and remind all of us to never take being able to workout or run for granted.

This really hit home for me because returning to running after an injury is tough- you feel out of shape, overly cautious, and slow. You curse any minor ache or pain and even question why you are returning to running. Then you REMEMBER. You longed to run when you were hurt, you were envious of your friends who were able to run, and you were antsy and sort of cranky. You NEEDED to run. So now today, tomorrow, and anytime you run, dedicate your run to your past injured self, to all of those currently injured, to those who can’t run, and never take running for granted again! Running is a gift. 🙂

my running plan this week and my last run

I know I will be thinking of that quote anytime I run this week. This week I’m going to try two days in a row of running and one day of rest or cross training in between. I’m going to stay in the 3-4 mile range though. I’m getting antsy because I long to train for a race and to go on long runs again, but at least I am back to running! I am so grateful to be back and that my third case of IT band problems was my shortest (knock on wood that I stay injury free).  I will continue to stretch and/or do a yoga routine before AND after my run as well as IT band rehabilitation exercises, pushups and core every other day.

I am looking forward to my next run and I hope it is as wonderful as my last run with my boyfriend on Sunday! Nothing (so far) beats those views below on a run.  I am so happy to live in such a runner and fitness friendly city with my boyfriend who loves to run as much as I do. 🙂

Well, I hope you all have wonderful nights! I have to study a little more for my exam tomorrow and then I hope to have some time to read or watch Netflix. This probably means I need to stop writing this post and watching the Extreme Couponing marathon on TLC… I’m a dork, I know! 😛

What has been motivating your runs and/or workouts this week?