It’s back. That place that I love so much in running found its way back to me. It has been hibernating for a few weeks (and coincidently my blog has also taken a slumber).
It has been eight weeks since my hip first began its refusal to run. I nurtured it. I ran easy. I cut back my miles. I didn’t run on days it was angry. I only ran two miles on days it felt okay. A long run became five miles instead of eighteen. I’ve been visiting a chiropractor. Prognosis: a locked SI joint and no function in my gluteus medius muscle. I’m now back on track. I’m healing and recovering. I’m hoping how did your hip feel? won’t follow every run.
This weekend I ran seven miles. They weren’t pretty miles. It was hot. I was running in the middle of the afternoon. Summer storms threatened to attack at any moment and the moisture (and rain) hung in the air. I stopped one too many times to drink water. I then stopped one too many times to realize I had run out of water. I got back to my car thankful for the miles and thankful I was done.
This morning when my alarm clock went off, I wanted to hit snooze. Even if I had hit the snooze button, I wasn’t really tired. I never would have fallen back asleep. I slipped into my running clothes, and I slipped out of the house. The boardwalk was calling my name. I didn’t have much time so I knew I’d have to make it a short run. My legs were sore from the distance on Sunday, but I also knew I could wake them up.
Mile 1: 8:58
A third of the way into mile 2, I spotted a familiar face. Truth be told the familiar face ran by me and kept on going. She is a friend in the blog/instagram world that I know because of my cell phone. She is fast (really fast). She is inspiring. Without having pace on my watch, I knew if I was running close to her pace I must be going fast. Maybe I could hold on for a mile. I’ve been dying to see a 7:xx on my garmin. I settled in behind her. She looked like she was floating and having the best time. I’m sure I looked like I was dying.
Mile 2: 7:51
Oh my. Why yes. That is a 7:xx on my watch today. I let my pacer run off down the boardwalk so I could settle back down into cruise control for my last half mile back to the car.
.5: 8:45 pace
When I got home and digested my run, I checked instagram. Jessica, my unknown friend and pacer, had posted a photo of her run with this caption: A really perfect run. Major rainstorm washed over me. I sloshed in the puddles and literally laughed out loud. Running makes me feel so ALIVE. I just sets parts of me free that I really love to be awaken to. I rode on the coattails of her runners high to my fastest mile ever (since high school). She shared that with me without even knowing. I could feel the magic of her run.
Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love. ~Rumi
I love running. I love the freedom I find in my mind and in my heart when my feet are moving in my running shoes. I love the surprise rain showers and the surprise numbers that show up every now and then on my watch. I love the sluggish long hot runs. Running allows me to feel connected to my truest self. I even love the two months of reset runs my hip has recently requested.
If you love something, go do it. Make time for yourself to feel what it’s like to come alive. Love your life so much that the energy you carry with you spills over onto the person running behind you. Let your love shine!
Thank you Jessica for carrying me with you today!
Kristy Maute 
You go girl!!!