Holy shin splints, Batman!

We still have 20 weeks of training left and I already feel like someone has kicked me repeatedly in the shins!  Well, really, it's my own fault.  I had the spectacular idea to start running again in the midst of training for the 3Day.  There is only one sport in which I will "play" through the pain, go out in the rain and heat, and do it every single day.  I LOVE to run. 

I started running about 4 years ago to deal with the stress of student teaching.  It was also an awesome way to lose the college weight and get into shape :)  I ran nearly every single day at least 3 miles.  It was a high.  I had to take 3 weeks off when I went to Mexico and I had the running itch.  I couldn't wait to get back to the States to start running again.  Andrew and I went to Disney World at the end of July for a week.  I would get up every single morning at 6am to run 4 miles.  Oh and then go walk around the parks all day long!  When we got back, I remember running 7 miles and then we went for a 6 mile walk before going to a wedding in MKE later that night.  It was fabulous!  (The run, that is, although the wedding was fun too)

Then on Labor Day of 2009 tragedy struck.  I was running an easy 2 miles, well that's as far as I got, then all of a sudden I couldn't anymore.  I didn't fall, I didn't do anything, but I was in so much pain.  I could barely walk.  I went to the ER and all they could tell me was that it was a strain.  I went through a year of physical therapy and was devastated I couldn't run anymore.

Fast forward to last year and I was finally able to start running again.  I could run a few miles here and there, but nothing spectacular and nothing regular.  Then this year we have had some unusually warm and beautiful weather.  I got the itch again.  Most of my motivation is weight loss, but I hope to get back up to that 7 mile mark.  I downloaded a "Couch to 5k" app on my iPod and it's hard!  The hardest part is taking it slow.  Only running for a minute and then walking for 90 seconds is killing me!  But I'm determined to follow it through.

So in short, running again while training to walk 60 miles in 3 days sound crazy?  Oh heck yes.  I am totally nuts for doing it, but I hope that I can.  Running is the only thing that I can stick to (that and walking, but it's not the same kind of high).

On another note, we did another 4 miles today.  Miss Lucy needs a haircut because this unseasonably warm weather is too much for her.  Poor little thing is so hot!  Soon the little girls will have to stay home because the heat is too much for Lu and Mads is still too little to walk so far.  But they are loving it right now :)