Returning to running after a year off

Run 4 in 2 weeks, 2.46 miles, ran about half the way, walked the other half. Barefoot for...maybe a little less than half. Feel really good :-)

I first started running back in Feb 2010. I needed a serious stress release after the adoption of our second child who suffers from Reactive Attachment Disorder. I ran pretty consistently until December of that year. I learned to snowboard in December too and was so caught up I figured a way to go 2-3 times a week for the season! And while I loved it my heelside traverses really started bugging my right knee...uh oh. After snowboarding season was over in April 2011 I tried to go back to running. While the running itself didn't hurt my knee it was afterwards that the pain set in. In the summer I went to physical therapy and was told it was my quad tendon (front, just above kneecap) and the reason it was sore was the quad muscle above was too weak. The exercises they gave me where so odd that one session wasn't enough. Hmmm...guess I really should have gone back huh? The good thing that did come from it was a change in my stride. They did a video stride analysis and figured out that if I just rolled my feet out to the outer edge slightly that would realign my knees and solve the problem (along with the exercises I couldn't remember). Instead I gave my knees a rest and over nearly a year gained 15 lbs, ugh.

Oh well, I'm back to it now and all is well. Originally it took me months to where I am now. When I first started I would have to go 4-5 days between runs because my whole body would ache to the point of distraction and bitchiness. Restarting now though...after a run I'm pleasantly tired and sleep well. Weird but I'm not complaining!