Running Free

I'm running again! I mentioned that briefly in Monday night's post, but I wanted to tell y'all all about it.

For a little background: I was training for my first half-marathon last summer, when about halfway through my 12-week training program, I fractured my right foot. It was an overuse injury that my doctor believes was brought on by either having old running shoes, bad form, or trying to go too far too fast.

First, they gave me this hard-bottomed shoe, and I was later moved to a walking boot. 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, most foot fractures heal in 6 to 12 weeks. But wouldn't it be my luck that I had a proximal (mid-foot) stress fracture with a 4 to 6 month healing time?! During that time — and I know this sounds ridiculous to people with real problems — I felt like my life was at a standstill. I was on pause for seven months. Running had become my reason for waking up every day. It was the one thing that almost had a more powerful grip on my life than food. Food was still number one, of course, and a time or two, I totally drowned my sedentary sorrows in the junkiest junk I could find. And I packed on a few pounds since I wasn't running those calories off.

Sure, there was yoga. And I did a lot of that while I was injured. But yoga isn't the same as running for me. Running is how I meditate. It's how I find peace. Yoga for me is more about stretching and learning to relax, but it's not terribly peaceful for me.

Anyway, an orthpedic shoe, a walking boot, a bone stimulator (I had to wear it 10 hours a day!), lots of frustration and inconvenience, and seven months later, I'm slowly learning to run again. I'm doing simple walk/runs for now because I'm terrified of re-injuring myself. But I can finally walk without pain. I'm not signing up for any races just yet, but I will run that half one day (and I'll run a marathon after that, by god).

Not only did I miss the act of running, I missed my healthy breakfast routine that went along with it. When I was training, I'd have a date or two before a run, Vega Electrolyte Hydrator or coconut water immediately after, and a nice creamy Vega protein smoothie about 30 minutes later. I have a mega-stash of Vega that I won last January in a blog giveaway, and when my injury happened, I moth-balled my stockpile until I could run again. Vega isn't cheap, and I couldn't afford to waste it when I wasn't running.

So now that I'm running again, guess what's back in my life? Vega!!!! This is the Sunset Razztini from the new Vega Dieter's Guide to Not Dieting e-book (download it for free here). The book is designed to help serial snackers, breakfast skippers, calorie counters (that's me!), and weekend splurgers (also me!) replace naughty stuff with healthy snacks (like this smoothie!).

It's frozen raspberries, a whole orange, almond milk, and a scoop of Vega One Berry protein powder. I had this for breakfast several days last week after runs. On non-running days, I juice and have a light solid breakfast.

Also, while I was down, Vega sent me an awesome swag package to promote their new e-book and #onechange campaign. I've been working with them since they realized what a super-fan I am.

And I was sooooo excited to finally have a chance to wear my new Vega running shirt last week. They also sent me a sweet Vega headband and a Kor One water bottle with "Vega" on the side. 

And since I knew I'd need new shoes to prevent injury, I finally used the birthday money my mom and dad gave me back in October to buy Brooks Ghost 6 running shoes and new inserts!