Easy like Sunday morning

It's a horrible tease, let me tell you. Like taking a caffeine addict into Starbucks, but telling them they can only have water. Or a shopping addict to the mall,but telling them they have to stay in the food court. That is how these past 11 days of not running have felt for me here on the internet. Everywhere I turn, the fact that I'm not running was rubbed into my face. On dailymile I watched my name get closer and closer to the bottom of all of the challenges. On facebook I read of people registering for new races, or trying new shoes. Don't even think I read any of your blog posts. I childishly avoided them at all costs out of pure jealousy. Please don't disown me for my selfishness.

But in light of the horrible disaster that struck Haiti this week, I felt like a big a-hole (for lack of better terms) for coming on here and whining and crying over my injury that keeps me from running. Boo hoo to me, at least I have a roof over my head and clean water, among countless other blessings. It made my problems seem so petty and trivial. So instead, I just avoided all of you. That's how I roll, I guess.

I've never had a running injury. Well, I take that back...there was the week after my very first half marathon where I walked backwards down the flight of stairs at my apartment every morning, and painfully eyed them like they were Mt. Everest when I had to climb back up. But that was more of a "hey stupid, signing up for a half marathon when you didn't train, nor run period was a lame idea" sort of injury. Not an actual running injury. I've considered myself very lucky for not having experienced anything, short of a 20 week fetus, that has sidelined me from running for a significant amount of time.

Alas, the foot pain was only getting worse, so I dutifully took eleven full days off from running. Eleven looong days apart from my addiction, and I tried to whine as minimally as possible. Although, truth be told, when Rich brought up the lack of running at our twice yearly happy hour on Friday, I nearly shed a few tears. I blame the $2.99 margaritas. Both of them.

This morning, I woke up and noticed baby Kain's hair had gone back to tight pin curls from it's straight recent state. Kain's hair is our personal barometer, so my first thought was to check out the weather channel. 69 degrees and sunny. BEAUTIFUL! After the recent stretch of freezing weather, there was no way I could pass up this opportunity to go for a run. And then, as if the running gods were sending me a sign, Rich (who hasn't run in years) said out of the blue "I think I want to go for a little jog today" . Let me tell you I ran around this house like a whirlwind throwing on running clothes and tossing toddlers into the jog stroller before he could even contemplate changing his mind.

We were going for a run.

And he did so well. We ran/walked /mostly ran for 2 miles, all while Rowen gave a running commentary of mailbox colors and kept count of squirrel sightings. Rich apologized numerous times that we had to go so slow and keep taking walk breaks. I assured him that I would skip the entire 2 miles, I was so flipping happy to be out there! When we returned home, Rich told me he'd watch the boys if I wanted to get in a few more miles on my own. I wanted to, more than I could ever express, but I didn't . Because I had just run 2 miles, and my foot...it didn't hurt. I don't want to push a good thing.

I hope it's not too soon to say this ...and I promise to take it slow and easy...but...I think I'm back!

Happy running my friends, hoping I will be joining you this week!

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and as I mentioned, my heart and prayers go out to all of the victims of the horrible earthquake in Haiti. Some blog friends are doing their part to help...

Krystyn, at "Really, are you Serious?" is donating $1 for each person who comments to the relief efforts, and her Mom will match contributions

Ross, at Run 26.2 for Kelly is donating $2 per comment to the relief efforts , and his company will match contributions

Lastly, you can donate $10 to the relief efforts through the Amercian Red Cross, to be charged to your cell phone bill by texting "HAITI" to "90999" This can be verified on the official White House website (it's not just some random number I'm throwing out there, I promise!) I donated through text and it was very simple.