Confessions from a new gym lover

Hi, my name is Gisgie and I, um, ahem, well, I love going to the gym.

There. I said it.

You see, it's a very recent development. I've not been a big gym fan before. Frankly, I only joined out of necessity.

We live in the Michigan tundra and it's cccccold and icy. Icy is not bueno for someone who is injury prone. Hence the gym membership for the wintry months.

Gym, how do I love thee?

1. It's ridiculously close. And it's next to the grocery store where I shop, which also just happens to have a gas station. Bonus.

2. There are treadmills there. I can run/walk on a more-giving surface and not worry about slipping on ice and cracking my skull.

Run/walk progress!

3. There are other machines. I've been using both the elliptical and stationary bike. Built-in cross training.

4. I can people watch. No matter what time I make it to the gym, there are lots of other people working out. And said people wear and do the weirdest things. Not me, of course. I'm completely normal.

5. I feel accomplished. The gym may be just a few miles away, but once I'm there, I don't think about much else. Reminds me of when I walked into the tae kwon do dojang. Nothing else existed. When I'm done, I'm sweaty, stinky and tired. And that's a good thing.

Will I join the gym year-round when my winter membership expires? Probably not. But I'm sure going to get my money's worth while I can. Because it's cheaper than therapy. Or so I hear.

Do you belong to a gym? What do you like about it? And if you don't, why not?

Eight things I'm doing to return to running

I may not be putting in a lot of miles these days, but I am working on my running. To whit:

1. I am actually using my new gym membership. I started walking for 30 minutes each time on the treadmill about three weeks ago, then started following that up with the elliptical for just 10 minutes. This morning, I warmed up for 5 minutes, ran/walked 1:1 for 20 and cooled down for another 5 minutes. I survived and I'm not in any more pain than before. I'm also up to 20 minutes on the elliptical. Could I do more? Absolutely. Should I? There's the rub.

   

   I did not look this cool.

2. On a relevant side note, I loved listening to the Serial podcast while I ran, but ended up listening to it while running errands and doing chores, so it didn't last very long. Just discovered Criminal and am thoroughly enjoying it. The podcasts really distract me and make even the dreaded treadmill tolerable.
3. To help kick my ongoing chronic pain, I reviewed all of the piriformis syndrome information I could find on the Runner's World site again and have been doing my stretches twice a day every day.
4. Found the lone tennis ball my favorite 100-pound dog hasn't shredded and, well, sat on it and rolled it. It's supposed to help loosen the piriformis muscle. Doing the same withe foam roller.
5. I've been sitting on a heating pad for about 20 minutes at a time. Doc said it would help with the pain.
6. Speaking of pain, I'm still taking Aleve and using a topical anti-inflammatory medicine called Voltaren gel. It takes the edge off.
7. Yoga is back on the rotation at least twice a week. At 30 minutes per session, I can easily work it into my schedule. Bonus: my favorite 15-year-old sometimes joins me.
8. On a lighter note, I dashed in and out of a new-to-me running store I spotted during a very quick lunch stop while out of town for work last week. I walked the perimeter of the store and for less than $10 scored a very thin white Oiselle running T-shirt I'm sure to appropriately stink up this spring and summer.

   

   Back of said T.

If you're not able to run, what are you doing to get you back on the road? If you can run, what are you doing to cross train and/or strengthen so you don't get hurt? What's your favorite running-related purchase of the past few weeks?

This chica can

OK, so that's not exactly the name of the campaign, but this Sport England campaign made this chica's day:

The women I know and love are strong, fierce, kind, active and fun. They're thin and, well, not. They're young and, um, less young. And like me, most of them jiggle, sweat and, yes, sometimes even feel foxy.

I have a very vivid memory of looking at myself in the mirror as a teenager,wishing I were thinner. Or that I didn't have a shock of curly hair. Here I was, an athletic, strong student with plenty of friends who just didn't measure up to some ideal I saw on TV and in every magazine I ran across.

Not only was I not as thin as the models. Neither was I blonde or blue eyed. And I certainly couldn't pull off the feathered-bang look.

I'm 43 now and I still feel the pull of measuring myself against the impossible ideal. (While Sofia Vergara have our accents in common, I'm no closer to measuring up now than at 15.)

Watching the Sport England spot reminded me that those women who already surround me are the ideal. Because when I'm with them I feel whole. I am enough.

Yeah, I'll keep running and hope to remain active long into my twilight years. But it's about how I feel more than about how I look. About being a good role model for my own kids in the hope they see all that they are -- and not what they're not -- when they look in the mirror.

So until my leg heals, I'll be the one walking on the treadmill at the gym.Soon, I hope to be the one out on the road running with my lips curved into a knowing smile.

Jiggle and all. Because I can.

What did you think about the spot? Am I reading too much into it? Who did you measure yourself up against as a kid? What about today?

Forgive me for I have sinned

I've apparently committed some sort of a sin that only gym snobs care about.

Source: quickmeme.com

And I'm OK with that. I live in Michigan, after all, where the temps have been in the negative-brrrr for the past week. Oh, and I'm injured, so I get a pass on this one regardless.

I've not felt much better for the past few days, but I also know that I need to just move or I'm going to get so out of shape that I won't even be able to stay on the darn treadmill in the first place, a la Mike from Monsters, Inc.

Source:  Pixar Animation Studios

And so I joined the family-owned gym near our house where I used the elliptical for a little bit then spent half an hour enjoying this view:

I can't say that it was particularly exciting, but I was moving, got to listen to a lot of Pitbull on my Pandora and as of tonight, I don't feel any worse. I call that a win.

Since I recently listened to a piece on National Public Radio highlighting the benefits of eating avocados, I celebrated my great feat by eating a spicy Wholly Guacamole mini for lunch. Despite the article's warning to watch the calories if eating chips with the guac, I went hog wild and dipped some.

After all, I worked out today.

Source: http://www.rottenecards.com/

What was your workout today? What kind of exercise do you do when you're injured? Do you consider walking exercise, or am I delusional? 

These are a few (OK, five) of my favorite things ... about running

Running? My favorite thing!

Let me count the reasons why:

1. Other runners. I belong to two running groups and I have to say that I have yet to meet a runner I didn't immediately consider a friend.

I got to spend a bit of my evening tonight with my Black Girls Run! team mates at a local watering hole, Zoobies Old Town Tavern. Where else can you spend an hour with others talking about running, your injuries and how to best get others to, well, run with your group?

How could you not love these ladies?

2. Meeting goals. I love running, but sometimes I love reading or watching a movie or doing just about anything other than running. Having a goal race on the calendar forces me to get out there and I inherently remember why I love running so much.

I should note that I don't have a race on the calendar right now. Note to self: Get one.

3. Pushing myself. When I first started running, I just wanted to run without stopping (or feeling like I was going to die) for 30 minutes. Then I wanted to just run a 5K and so on.

Then I met my BGR! friends and they convinced me that if I could do 6 miles, I could surely do 13.1. (That's running logic right there.)

Running forces me to do things I didn't really think I could do. And that just feels darn good.

An inordinate amount of vehicles at Zoobies looked like this.

4. Getting exercise. I was kind of a jock growing up but being active as a grown-up with three kids, a real job and other responsibilities (read: making sure said children don't look like they were raised by wolves) makes it kind of hard to exercise.

Having those races on the calendar and my team mates to encourage me along the way makes it easier to get a workout in.

5. Being done with running. Sometimes, my favorite thing about running is getting done. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I come back from a run -- logging my miles on my training plan, drinking some chocolate milk and, yes, blogging about my runs.

A lot of runs are unremarkable. I go out, I run and I come home. Others are horrible; my feet feel like lead or I just can't seem to catch my breath.

But every runner has those magical runs. Where your feet feel light, your breathing is rhythmic and easy, and the music in your ears is upbeat and at just the right beat (read: Pandora played a lot of Pitbull).

Running in and of itself can be special. But I also love that it comes with so many added benefits.

What's your favorite thing about running? What makes you get out there when you really just don't feel like it? How many running-related stickers are on your car?

Warning: Injured runner

Right up until the boating incident of 2014, I was running pretty regularly again and -- while not completely healed from my pain in the butt -- I was certainly doing well enough to start half-marathon training for a late-spring event.

Right off, I was in denial about the severity of the re-injury.

Source: imgr.com

Shocking, I'm sure.

But it'd been a week and the pain was still preventing me from running...or bending...or breathing...or, pretty much living my typical vida loca.

So off to my running store's free, weekly injury clinic. Playmakers has local sports medicine experts (chiropractors, osteopaths, physical therapists) available on a walk-in basis every Wednesday night.

I hobbled in, a little worried about what kind of reception I would get. I mean, I've lost count of how many health professionals I've seen about this ongoing issue. And I've had a bunch of tests tone.

But the price was right and I visited with the nicest osteopath who confirmed the pain's probably piriformis related and treated me for it. He also recommended the doctor I'm already scheduled to see toward the end of the month, calling him the best in town. Score.

Despite the most-recent pain, I've seen enough improvement in the past two days that I'm already plotting my next run.It's not yet on the calendar, but I do have hope that it will happen sometime soon.

Source: Bill Watterson

In the meantime, I made a small purchase at the running store as a token of appreciation for this wonderful resource.

Had I seen this there, I would have dropped a bit more money:

Source: AMBRO Manufacturing

All injured runners should come with some sort of warning for mere mortals who come across us, don't you think?

Does your running store have an injury clinic or other helpful resources? What's your favorite running-related T-shirt saying?

My vacation was wonderful, but also a pain in the butt

Vacations. Love 'em. I'm a big fan.

Just got to take two weeks off for the first time in, well, I can't remember ever getting two weeks off in a row since my wedding and honeymoon 21 years ago.

So el husbando, three kids, two dogs and I drove our RV to Naples, Florida, to visit family.

And it was glorious.

It was warm. It was sunny. There were palm trees on my runs! 

And water fountains. In December.

It was so nice that I easily kept up with my half-marathon training schedule, even logging my first five miler since my half marathon in September. (Still using the Galloway Method (30:30 run/walk) and feeling pretty good.)

Michigan was not welcoming at all. We got in late yesterday and woke up this morning to what they generously call a "wintry mix." Read: snow, ice and rain. Blech.

How is a chica expected to go from all that to cold, snow and ice? 

No, really. What am I supposed to do now? My idea of loading the RV back up and heading south was shot down.

Unfortunately, I can't run away. Literally or figuratively. 

Did I mention I jacked up my butt/leg again? Methinks it was a bumpy boat ride (woe is me, right?) during our Naples adventure. 

I woke up the day after with the same kind of pain I'd had for months on my butt cheek, running down my left leg. So much for my half-marathon training schedule. 

I've taken a few days off from running, am taking Aleve and using a heating pad. So far, nada. Still in enough pain that I'm not sleeping well. Ouchie.

I'm guessing I'm not going to get a whole lot of sympathy when I go back to work with a vacation-induced injury.

As for my running, I'll figure something out. There's a half marathon with my name on it as soon as it warms up in the Michigan tundra.

What's the longest vacation you've ever taken? What's your favorite vacation spot? Do you still run while on vacation?

List of gift ideas for runners for real people (you know, those on a budget)

This is a gift-giving guide for the rest of us. Yeah, those of us who can't spend $450 for an awesome GPS watch that also makes coffee in the morning and folds laundry on Saturdays.

Lovely idea, but just not realistic for most of us. What's a chica or chico to do for the runner in her or his life? Here are some ideas:

1. One of the easiest is a gift certificate from the local running store, of course. But it doesn't have to be a significant investment if you can't afford it. Your runner will love any denomination and the excuse to browse the whole store and touch every new shoe, running jacket and sock in the place. Most stores have smaller items like the prerequisite 5K, 13.1 mile and 26.2 mile stickers for the car in addition to the high-tech gizmos of the season.

Source: http://funny-pictures.picphotos.net/

2. Did your runner have a recent race? Check the race's homepage for information on race photos, which can be bought online and shipped directly to your runner. Many race photographers tag your runner's photos by his or her bib number. If you don't know their number, try the race website again; most will list race results by name and bib number. Yes, us runners are a little self absorbed and would love a picture of ourselves crossing the finish line in a tutu or Superman costume. A nice frame would be frosting on the gift cake.

3. Show interest in your runner's sport. You don't have to run to show support. Join your runner on a long walk on a rest day or show up at a race to cheer him or her on. I know you're already spending an inordinate amount of time listening to him or her go on and on (and on and on) about their training. Go see them in their habitat and make them feel special in the process.

4. Build a song list for their next race. Doing so takes tons of time and he or she will appreciate getting a head start. You can buy the songs for them, give them a gift card toward music purchases or even create a Pandora station for him or her and hand over the log-in information. 

5. Contribute toward a race fee or lodging at the next away race. If your runner likes to race, many a race will allow you to pay for all or part of the race fee. Some have gift certificates. A gift card to a hotel at their next destination would also be appropriate and welcome. 

6. Runners also love gear and clean, non-stinky technical shirts, so those are always good ideas if you know your runner's size. Places like Marshall's, T.J. Maxx and Target have great deals on good gear. I got a tech T-shirt with my running group's logo for my birthday and I can't wait to wear it when we travel to Florida over Christmas (did I mention it's in the 20s in Michigan at night?).

7. Give a subscription to a running magazine. Your runner will think warm thoughts about you every time an issue shoes up. I'm partial to Runner's World, which I relish.

8. Create a goody bag. It could be multiple samples of hydration tablets so they can try different flavors, or different types of protein bars or fuel (like Gu or SportBeans). Or create a pedicure set for your runner. We have notoriously gnarly feet. 

9. Put together a recipe book with healthy, runner friendly snacks and meals. Most running magazine websites have tons of resources. Better yet, cook a runner friendly meal for your runner. We're always "rungry", so this will be a huge hit.

10. Love and understanding, of course.

Mostly, just don't fret. Runners are a great bunch who'll appreciate that you thought of us. Especially if you continue to pretend to listen to us when we're talking about what ails us.

Happy holidays to you and yours!

What's the best running-related gift you've ever gotten? Given?  

10 easy-peasy tips worth repeating

You know those tips you heard or read about ages ago that you take for granted? Like how you should put your clothes and shoes next to the bed if you plan to run in the morning so you just have to get dressed and out the door.

Yeah, those. I suspect there are new runners who'd welcome a few new tips or more-experienced runners who haven't heard them all.

So, let's hear them.

I've shared some tips for newbies before. And about my favorite gear. Well, sort of.

Here are a few more tips:

1. You know that flap built into your sleeve you can use if you forgot your gloves? It's the perfect place to stash a tissue or two.
 
2. Can't keep your ear buds from tangling every time you store them? Try a business card or cut a small rectangle or square out of cardboard (cereal box, perhaps).

3. If you're a newbie, read Marc Parent's Newbie Chronicles on Runner's World magazine. All of his columns are available free at runnersworld.com. I highly recommend reading them chronologically from the beginning. You'll laugh, you'll cry. It was better than Cats. I'm going to see it again and again.

4. Better yet, get a subscription to the magazine. I did and am going on my third year. Worth. Every. Penny.

5. If you have any electronics, learn how to use them before you head out for a run. At night. With no light. And no glasses. I'm just sayin' that if you have a new, say, Garmin, and don't know how to use it, you may want to be able to see the thing when you're pushing buttons and making it do something. But it's just a suggestion.

6. Check your calendar just one more time before you book a race four months early. Because sometimes you have to take your oldest to college orientation, for example.

7. If you surround yourself with other runner chicos and chicas, one of them may want you to transfer the race to them if you were to double book yourself. Check the race rules; some don't allow transfers but may allow you to run the following year.

8. Don't skimp on gear, but don't think you have to have five (or more!) of each. Do spend money on things that will make you more likely to enjoy your run and/or to keep you safe and comfortable. But consider buying just one very good quality item, or two of each if you can afford to do so; one to wear and one to wash. For example, I have one pair of Nike Hyperwarm running tights and two very good quality running bras. But I buy the Champion C9 T-shirts at Target. Inexpensive, but they work well and last more than you'd think if you wash and hang-to-dry them.

9. Spend the extra money on the Tide Sport laundry detergent or whatever detergent they sell at your running store. Just trust me on that one. Otherwise, you'll spend lots more on the gear I mentioned in #8.

10. Yes, we look kind of dorky dressed in highlighter yellow, but wearing high-visibility gear is imperative. Black clothes may be more slimming, but they make runners nearly invisible to cars. I recently saw my favorite 15-year-old out running after dark. Yes, I saw her because she lit up like a Christmas tree when I drove by. Good girl!

So, what are your favorite tips that are worth repeating? What's the worst advice you've ever gotten? What's the best high-visibility item you own?

Shout-out to the humble hat

What do you see here?

Three hats.

You see them, too?

Yeah. I left all three at home before heading out on my run. It's 29 degrees out there tonight with a 19-degree (F) windchill. Not terribly cold by Michigan standards, but the wind was really blowing and I thought my ears were going to fall off. They may have. I still can't feel them.

Between the other runner in the house (my favorite 15-year-old) and I, we have five running hats. Most of them are conveniently located in a clear plastic shoe organizer hanging in the coat closet next to the front door.

The same organizer that also holds my ChapStick, headphones, gloves and reusable hand warmers. All of which I grabbed on the way out.

I could tell right away that I'd made a tactical mistake. And, yet, I ran away from the house instead of running back in to grab a hat.

It won't be so bad, I told myself. I'll warm up when I start running.

While my neighbors' Christmas-light-show-programmed-to-blaring-music-that-sounds-like-the-ice-cream-truck did distract me for a few moments, the rest of my 30-minute run/walk tonight was pretty miserable.

My core was warm and my hands were toasty (even without using the hand-warmers). But my head and ears were suffering.

There's a saying in Puerto Rico that comes to mind: "El vago trabaja doble." Loosely translated, it means the lazy man works twice as hard.

Whoever came up with that was probably a runner.

Mental note: Grab a hat! Or at least, turn around and grab a hat if you forgot it.

In the meantime, if you see my ears, can you please ship them to Lansing, Mich.?

Do you ever forget a key piece of gear? Do you ever go back for it? Seriously, have you seen my ears?

Today's run was brought to you by the letter T and the number 3

Well, hello, tired muscles. And hello, feeling of achievement. I've missed you both.

Thoroughly enjoyed getting out today, despite temperatures in the 20s F. Brrr...

In addition to the usual iPhone, YurBuds headphones and Nike Hyperwarm gear, today's run was brought to you by so many tools, it should be sponsored by both Home Depot and Lowe's. Let me be more specific:

1. This chica got to run/walk 3 miles today using the Galloway Method.I'm keeping the April 19 Gazelle Girl Half Marathon on my schedule for now.

2. And in order to switch from walking to running, I used my new toy, err, tool: my birthday gift from el husbando, the Garmin Forerunner 10.

The watch can be set up to beep at whatever intervals you choose. I did 30:30 run/walk. I do need to research whether the volume can be adjusted up because I turned down my Pandora three different times and I almost missed the prompts.

3. My new Brooks Ghost 6s. Men's size to accommodate my orthodics and to avoid pink shoes. If you haven't figured it out yet, la chica is a tomboy. (Ignore the pink stripe on my SmartWool socks.)

4. Cheap-o reusable hand warmers. Got some RuffHewn brand warmers the day after Thanksgiving for about $3. They're not at all what I expected, but I'm keeping them for now. They only last for less than 30 minutes each and you have to boil them for about 15 minutes afterward to reactivate. Ugh. I've been using one at a time and switching them from hand to hand, especially when I walk my favorite dog. Pulled them out for today's run because it was ccccold. Brrrr.

5. This article, which I found incredibly helpful as I learn how to adjust with a brand-new arthritis diagnosis. Coach Jenny Hadfield has some great tips which I'm trying to incorporate. The only one I'm struggling with is eating a low inflammatory diet. What, no donuts? Coach Jenny is helpful, but no fun.

6. Naproxen. Better living through chemistry and all that jazz.

7. An extra layer over my favorite Nike jacket. My also-brand-new-gift-from-someone-who-loves me: a Woolrich zip-up fleece jacket. I needed it today. Bad. And yesterday. Um. Actually, I've worn it every day since I received the gift.

Since I've talked about my other must-have gear before, I'm leaving it at that. The one thing I should have also taken advantage of was a nap. Maybe since I don't have a Walking Dead or Talking Dead episode to watch tonight, I might actually go to bed at a reasonable hour. Unlikely, but a chica can dream.

What are your favorite running tools? Did you get any running gear or tools for your birthday?

Boys and their toys. Oh, wait.

This chica got to play with a new toy today and got to go for a run.You'd think it was Christmas around here.

Source: Mashable

Almost.

El husbando was very generous for my birthday/Christmas gift this year and even encouraged me to try out my new, shinny Garmin Forerunner 10 ahead of schedule. I got the larger model so that I can, ahem, read the numbers without my glasses. Did I mention I'm having a birthday next week? Be nice.

After another round of tests, my doc cleared me to run as long as I feel OK, so after spending my days off from running reading about the different half-marathon training plans online, I settled on Jeff Galloway's.

If you're not familiar, Galloway recommends run/walk intervals. He sells a $20 timer on his site that beeps at designated times to let you know when you can walk or run. For example, run 30 seconds, walk 30 seconds. Rinse. Repeat.

Enter the new Garmin, which allows you to set up the intervals and keeps track of pace, time and distance. The watch is very easy to use (there are several well-made YouTube videos explaining different features) and felt comfortable as an everyday watch.

Like Galloway's timer, the Garmin beeps as the interval is coming, then beeps again when you're supposed to switch between running and walking. It was like running with this guy:

Source: Looney Tunes

I really liked getting the prompt to switch between running and walking. And despite adding a walking component, my 30-minute run went by ridiculously fast. I'll reserve judgement both on the training plan and the watch until I can spend some more time on both.

For now, I'm just happy to have the opportunity to talk about something other than my butt. Let's call that my gift to you.

Do you use a GPS running watch? What kind and what do you like about it? Have you used a run/walk training program?

'bout that bass and five things I wish I would have done to address what ails me

And we're back to talking about my bass, I mean, butt. Or at least the pain in my butt.

Visited my regular doc today. She believes I do have piriformis syndrome and that I'm still in pain (since APRIL) because it's hard to get rid of. For now, Aleve and -- wait for it -- running.

Then again, all I really heard her say was "go ahead and run. Start slow and stop if you feel worse." That I can do.

Of course, I have work and life functions today and tomorrow, so the running may have to wait a little bit. Unless I can clone myself. Or fake illness to get out of tonight's big-deal-whoopie event. No? Darn.

I may have to get treated for whiplash with all the different medical professionals' opinions about what ails me. That said, this doc, I trust, so I had some X-rays done and she's calling me back with results and any additional instructions depending on what they find.

Since I'm apparently now in the chronic pain realm, here are five lessons I learned in the past seven months for dealing with it:

1. Don't ignore it. Get someone to take a look at it right away because if you wait until it's too bad, then it's going to take longer to recoup. Dum-dum over here waited until she could barely walk before making an appointment.

2. Do listen to your own body. You know what's normal for you and what isn't. If your medical  professional isn't listening, call them out on it. If they still don't listen, consider another one. Or ask them to explain why they disagree with you. Schedule another appointment to finish the conversation if you have to.

3. Use your general practitioner/internal medicine doc/primary care nurse. I should have started there. But, no, I just  knew better. So, I've been managing my own care. Yeah, don't do that.

4. It's OK to get a second opinion. If your doc is decent, he or she won't mind and may even have a suggestion of another good professional who could take a look and suggest a different approach.

5. Be a good patient. Do what the doc tells you to do, even if that includes -- gasp! -- not running for a while. Or taking meds (shudder). Or going through -- God forbid -- physical therapy. I hate it when they're right, but they have the fancy diploma for a reason.

I hope you're not injured, but if you are, that you get a fast resolution and get back on the road quickly.

What type of medical professional do you see when you're hurt? Do you follow doctor's orders? No, really, do you?

La chica dreams of being gazelle-like

Today, I took the first step toward becoming a Gazelle Girl: I signed up for the April 19 half-marathon in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Source: giphy.com

So tonight, we set out at a comfortable walking pace, my favorite dog and I. Our pace picked up fairly quickly, given the 15-degree temps (with windchill).

I with my Nike running jacket and my down Lands' End parka. Plus a Champion running cap, Saucony running gloves, Nike Hyperwarm running tights topped with some sort of fleece-lined ski pants I found at Marshall's a couple of years ago. She with her, ahem, fur coat.

I settled on Hal Higdon's half-marathon training program for walkers. I used his half-marathon plan for novice runners last year and it worked great. I especially like his simple approach and his free online chart I can use to plan my walks and other exercise.

Tonight called for a 30-minute walk. I circled two of my neighborhood blocks, just to be sure we were both up to the task. At about 20 minutes, we passed our house and she pulled hard on her leash, wanting to come inside. Can't say I blame her.

I remembered to pause my Nike-plus app and dropped said dog home, then set out for another 10 minutes. In all, I covered 2 miles in my allotted time.

Leonbergers aren't known as very active dogs (we call ours a lazyberger), so this is what greeted me when I got home.

As much as I'm bemoaning having to walk instead of run, someone else will be getting a lot out of this loophole I found while still following my doctor's orders to walk and not run.

In other news, I've been remiss in sharing that Hoke One One just launched a new stability shoe, the Constant. I haven't tried it, but I can tell you that I really like my Cliftons. My only complaint is that I wish it had one more hole at the top so I can tighten the laces closer to my ankles.

A rep for Boulder Running Company reached out* to ask if I would let you know about the new offering. You can get more info -- or order the shoe -- on their site.

Here are some pictures of the men's and women's models for the curious:

Have you used a training plan for a goal race? How did that work out for you? What's your favorite running shoe?

* I was not compensated for sharing information about the Hoka One One Constant or about the Boulder Running Company. All views are my own

La chica walks

The process is the same: get dressed for the cold. Find my gloves. Head outdoors with my Yurbuds playing my favorite Pandora station in my ears.

It's just not quite satisfying. The walking, that is.

The running? It's great. But I just can't do it right now. Doctor's orders. And so I walk.

Not much, you see. Because it's just not the same, so I've been avoiding it for the most part.

Walking is to running what sugar-free Jell-O is to triple chocolate cake.

I've been going through the motions for the most part. I even walked the Lansing Turkey Trot with my favorite 15-year-old; a tradition we started three years ago when we both trained for our first 5k.

We had a great time, saw some good friends, met up with my running group. We even got the T-shirts.

But there's just something missing beyond the runner's high. There's no goal. There's no training. There's no scratching off a workout when I get home.

Until, that is, I Google'd "can you walk a half marathon?" today. Hal Higdon even has a 12-week walking plan. He says it will take me about four hours to finish. Four hours of walking. Hmph.

I should note that I used Hal's plan to train for my first half in September. It worked for me.

The Biggest Loser website has its own plan that weaves in more cross training and takes about 15 weeks.

Either will take me to a spring half marathon.

So what's a running chica to do? She walks. For now.

But I am NOT getting new gear.

Have you ever had to walk a race? How long did it take? Did you feel accomplished?

To quote the great philosopher Mick Jagger, “you can’t always get what you want.”

But if you try sometimes, well, you might find you get what you need.

Apparently, what I needed today was a reboot.

Went to see a new doc for a second (or third or fourth, I’ve lost count) opinion on the ongoing saga of my butt pain, which a previous health care professional had diagnosed as piriformis syndrome.

Well, chicos and chicas, this manipulative medicine doc tells me my problem isn’t piriformis. No. My problem is a stuck sacrum, or basically the bottom of my spine.

Started treatment today to get it unstuck so that I move more like a regular human and not one that hikes her hips up when she takes a step. As attractive as that sounds, it’s apparently not conducive to good health nor – more importantly – to running.

The upside is that the treatment should work and that my end of the bargain entails doing the yoga I’m already doing plus walking. Yes, I’m benched from running again, but there’s a chance this might actually work.

Can’t be worse than all the stuff I’ve been doing since April when all of this started.

For those of you wondering why I keep talking about my painful butt, I'm sharing my saga just in case someone else is dealing with similar issues. In my dreams, my blog sparks a conversation with your own doc that leads to a solution for your own leg/butt/foot pain.

Or at least gives you new plausible symptoms you can fake to get a back rub:

Have you had to go to multiple docs before getting the right diagnosis? How many did it take? Was your problem eventually resolved? Have you ever gotten your significant other to give you a back rub?

I've got a fever and the only prescription is ...

... more cowbell!

OK, so maybe not cowbell, baby, but certainly more company. The runner kind.

Good thing I got to meet up with my running group, Black Girls Run Lansing, at Zoobies Old Town Tavern in Lansing tonight.

And what a meet up it was. There were balloons, cupcakes, hors d'oeuvres and lots of laughs. 

With a raucous group of about 15, we celebrated our group's third year. All started because one of our fearless leaders, Brandess, wanted to see more women of color when she went to races.

Brandess, the fierce.

Now an ultramarathoner, Brandess also happens to have been one of my biggest supporters for running my first half marathon this fall. She and several other BGRs encouraged me to sign up and -- after pacing me through the whole thing -- celebrated with me at the finish line.

I even got a certificate tonight as we all took time to acknowledge successes, bit and small, and planned out the next year to make sure we had even more to look forward to. Each woman present also took the time to write her name under a series of goals, from starting to walk to running a 5K,a half marathon or full, to riding her bike or swimming, or to volunteer for a race.

It was so satisfying to see so many women come together from all over town to support each other on this journey, no matter the distance. No matter the pace.

I've said it before, bit it's worth repeating: these are the type of women I hope my daughter will seek out as she becomes a woman herself. These women exhibit the traits I already see in my favorite almost-15-year-old: kindness, selflessness, humor, tenaciousness,spirit and, yes, fearlessness.

It's not more cowbell, but it's still music to my ears and certainly makes my heart sing. Quietly. I like you too much to sing outloud. No one wants to hear that.

Do you run with a group? How has that impacted your running? 

My 8 favorite non-running things that make running better

Sometimes, it's the little things. As I've re-started Couch to 5K yet again and am heading out three times a week, I'm noticing a few non-running-related items I reach for that make my running life that much better.

And because you know I just gotta share, here's my list below.

1. Febreze Sport spray. Just a squirt -- OK, or three -- and I can get one more use out of my favorite windbreaker. Since I wear it over my long-sleeve winter running shirt and a hoodie, it doesn't get very stinky. But we all know that running stink defies reality, so I spray the jacket with the Febreze and hang it to air out.

2. Tide detergent also sells a Febreze Sport product that has saved more than one of my technical T-shirts. Regular detergent just can't touch the aforementioned post-run stink.

3. Good old ChapStick. Always a good idea before a short run with a second application at some point during a longer run. A little tube of the stuff saved me during my half marathon race when my trusty tech T-shirt started to chafe under my arms. ChapStick was a surprisingly good substitute for BodyGlide.

4. A see-through plastic over-the-door shoe organizer. I stick a lot of my running gear in its pockets so that I can grab gloves, a hat, my ChapStick, headphones, etc., without having to tear the house apart.

5. Goody ouchless elastic hair ties. Those suckers work, don't hurt when I'm pulling them off and they last forever.

6. Euceryn Aquaphor. I've talked about my love of this product before, but it doesn't make it any less handy. I use it on my lips if I don't have my ChapStick handy, on my legs and arms to avoid ashy skin and on my feet. (I don't want to talk about it.)

7. A skirt hanger with clips. Use them to hang my running leggings as well as unmentionables without leaving that weird mark from the regular plastic hangers.

8. Chocolate milk. Because it's yummy. Oh, and it's apparently a pretty good after-run recovery drink.

What are some of your favorite things that make running easier or better? 

Running, oh how I miss thee. Let me count the ways

Yes, I've been running a little. A couple of times a week for about a couple of miles each.

And, yes, I still consider myself a runner. I read Runner's World religiously. I chat with my Black Girls Run Lansing team mates on a regular basis. And I have a race on the calendar: the Turkeyman Trot in Lansing on Thanksgiving morning.

And yet...

There's so much I miss about the kind of training I was doing for the Capital City River Run Half Marathon.

The kind of running that leaves you spent. That makes you take a nap on a Saturday afternoon because you...just...can't...not...sleep.

The kind of running that leaves your laundry room full of dripping technical clothes, your drawers full of running gear you can't quite keep track of and your wallet empty because of purchasing all the aforementioned gear.

There's more, of course. The adrenaline. The runner's high. The having-something-to-write-about-on-my-blog.

Sure, there are things I don't miss. The hours away from my family because I just had to get in that five (or 10)  miler to stay on track. The empty wallet. The hard work.

Scratch that. I even miss the hard work, the pain, the struggle. It strengthened me. It made me feel alive.

There might just be a word for all of these feelings, but I just can't think of it. Closest I can come to it is, it's almost like winter's here.

While I've been in the Michigan tundra for 25 years, my blood still calls for the comfort of 80-plus degree days. Winter sports? Not for this chica.

Having to let go of my running -- hopefully only for a short while -- feels like winter has taken over even this part of my life.

But like every winter for the past 25 years, there's still a glimmer of hope just around the corner. April will be here before I know it with its blooming crocuses, sunny skies and even slightly warmer temps.

For now, I'll cling to that even as I have more free time to fret about what comes in between.

What do you miss about running when you can't run? Is there anything you don't miss at all? 

What goes well with humble pie?

Just eight weeks ago, I felt like I could run forever...or at least 13.1 miles. 

My "short" runs were 3.5 and 4 miles each, several times a week. My long run? An "easy" 10 miles. I was tired, yes, but I rallied and (after taking a nap) felt great.

I developed pain in the piriformis muscule (think smack in the middle of your butt cheek), but that was manageable when the prospect of my first half marathon loomed. I would have walked on glass barefoot those last few weeks just to get through the race.

Doc said to rest for a couple of weeks until my body healed. You'll be back, he said.

And yet...

The pain lessened enough that I'm no longer taking over-the-counter pain meds. I have been following all of the doctor's orders (stretching, heat, exercises, yoga, massage and almost no running). But I've plateaued and am no longer making progress.

What's a runner chica to do? Reassess, of course.

I got new shoes in the hope they'd help with the healing. Hoka One One Cliftons, which feel like I'm walking on a cloud. Squishy. Comfy. Um, ugly.

Runners tend to be fanatical about their shoes. Some of us have a dozen or more pair in our closets, showing the trial and error phase until -- like Cinderella -- we find just the right shoe.

My closet "just" has two pair of running shoes. My trusty, beat up Brooks Ghost 6s and the new Hokas.

So back to the Brooks it was with me just as I restarted my running yesterday with another trusty tool: My Couch to 5K app. I still have my eye on a Thanksgiving morning 5K, so this may just work out.

That is, until I rediscovered shin splint pain. Boo. Hiss.

It wasn't so bad that I could say no to my favorite 8-year-old's request to go for a short run this morning. He did great for the first half, then petered out and stayed home for the second half. I finished, lungs burning just a little.

The body's complaining, but my spirit was soaring.

What does a running chica serve with humble pie? Just a little patience and hope.

What's your favorite running shoe? How many pair do you have littering your closet?