Fun & Fit: March

March was a bittersweet month for fitness. I participated in two events (set personal records!) and then was sidelined with IT Band issues. Apparently, my body was not happy with running 25+ miles a week and I underestimated the need for rest. I think what really got me was running races in back-to-back weekends, with two weeks between half marathons and not resting and stretching enough. Oops! You live and you learn, right?

The first event of the month was for a local running store, iRun. This was a 5K and I was able to accomplish a goal I had set for myself: 5K in under 30 minutes. I ran in in 29:25 and wanted to do a happy dance when I crossed the finish line.

The second event of the month was the Allstate 13.1 Miami Beach Half Marathon. This was a beautiful course that took you along the water, that was made even more beautiful because I ran it with my friend. It is so much easier to run long distances when you have a great running buddy. My time for this event was 2:23:21. It was during this run that my IT Band started acting up.

I know exactly when I injured myself; it was when I ran on some highway ridges to get around someone. Right after running on the ridges, I felt pain in my knee. This happened around Mile 5 so I had a lot of running left. Thankfully, it wasn't so painful that I couldn't finish. It was, however, very painful when I tried to run a week later. For six weeks, Alex hated me because I had him checking my knee almost every night. Becoming best friends with my foam roller and doing this workout routine helped A LOT and I am finally all better.

What amazed me the most was how much of a runner I have become. I started running in August with my first official race in September and my training for a half marathon beginning in October, and in the time since, running has become something I need and even crave. I feel like something is missing on the days that I don't run so having to take a break from running was really hard. That pocket of time I had to myself was gone and that feeling of it being just me and the pounding of my feet on the ground was gone. At least I can say this experience taught my the importance of taking better care of myself and of resting. Good lesson to learn before a busy 2013-2014 season.