Five. Count ’em, f-i-v-e!! I cranked out five delicious miles this morning. Running over hills, hopping and skipping past puddles, smiling ear to ear. F-i-v-e.
I can’t remember the last time I ran 5 miles. I think it was way back in February sometime, before knee injuries and plantar problems became part of my life. 😉
Injuries are a pain, yes they are. But they also teach us important things. Like, for example, when our bodies say, “hey you, wake up! I’m tired, give me a break!” Well, it’s *kind* of important that we listen up. Here are some other “injury-related lessons” that I’ve learned through the months and over the years:
- An injury is not forever. Take it in stride and take it as a change in pace. Find something new to exert your energy on!
- Remind yourself that doing some other exercise—biking, yoga, swimming, hiking—is just a means to help you return to doing the activity that you love the most. I biked for 4 months because I am a runner!
- LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. When reintroducing yourself to your favorite activity, start slow. Just because you ran 11 miles a couple months ago doesn’t mean you’re now a wimp for doing 1. Build up gradually to avoid reinjuring yourself and stop immediately if you feel the old pain coming back. It’s so, so, so important to heal before returning to a regular routine.
Today’s “un” overnight oat mixture:
- 1/2 c. uncooked oatmeal
- 1 banana, sliced
- cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
- 6-oz. plain yogurt
- 2 T. crushed flax
- toppings: dollop of almond butter and coconut flakes
So delicious. We’ve had some really chilly mornings lately—perfect for hot oats. But I still find myself craving the warmer weather fare. 😀
Morning Snack: Almonds and Watermelon
Return. Of. The. Chopsticks.
Eating rice with chopsticks can be a bit on the tricky side. Especially dry brown rice, since it’s much less sticky than—say—sushi rice. But it’s still fun and totally doable. 
Simply mixed together brown rice, black beans, frozen corn, a few spices (as in cumin, cajun, etc.) and some salsa. Heated it all up, tossed with some lettuce greens—I love when it gets all wilty!—and called it a meal. There were some raw veggies on the side for some x-tra veggies too. 😀
Peachy keen. 😀
It was pouring cats and dogs all afternoon, which was absolutely fine by me. It kept me glued to my chair with nothing but the sounds of raindrops for company. Gotta keep memorizing my Medical Terminology. I have such a tough time remembering certain prefixes, abbreviations and terms.
ABG’s. Stands for Arterial Blood Gases. I can not for the life remember this one, but maybe typing it out will help. 😉
Study Snack: 6-oz. plain yogurt + 2 T. crushed flax + Natures Path Pumpkin Flax Granola + chunky peanut butter
With the risk of being called repetitive, I indulged in white bean and black olive soup once again for dinner. It was even better then yesterday. 😀
And an ooey gooey cheesy quesadilla is really too delicious to have only once. Crispy. Stretchy. Cheese.
Yum.
I need to get back to studying for some more brain cramming time.
Tomorrow’s To-Do’s:
- Last day of preclinical training!
- Stop at whole foods/trader joes for some necessities.
- Study.
- Take post-clinical exam.
Question: Have you ever had a sports-related injury?
Running To Slow Things Down 