I'm finally cleared by the doctor to run!!!

I got home from his office and did a happy dance in my bedroom.

But if you think immediately after that I threw on my running clothes to go out for my first run, you'd be wrong.

I delayed....a lot.

I had wanted to go to my CrossFit class at night, but since yesterday's WOD was full of burpees, I opted out. I'm still not cleared to do all high impact plyo stuff yet. So things that involve a lot of jumping like box jumps, jumping rope and burpees aren't in the cards yet.

Since CrossFit was out, I figured I'd try a short run....at some point.

I was off yesterday so I had all day to get my run in.

First, I waited until the weather warmed up a bit. I wasn't trying to do my first run back in 19 degree weather.

Then I got caught up in lesson planning for the class I'm teaching at Maryland this semester. Spent a few hours working on that, then ate lunch, then read blogs, then checked the weather.

See a pattern here?

Yep, I was procrastinating my run because I was nervous my foot wasn't really ready.

I mean I looked at the X-rays with the doc. They looked nice and crisp and clean. No hints of a break anywhere.

But I'm nervous about going out too fast and re-injuring myself. I was so, so sick of not being able to run, that the last thing I want to do is wind up in the same boat again.

Eventually, I put on my big girl pants and forced myself out the door. I knew if I didn't tackle a run yesterday, it would be too easy to let more and more days slip by because I was worried.

The doctor told me to ease back into it, so I did 1.5 miles. Very slowly.

I paid way, way too much attention to my right foot every time it hit the ground, trying to feel if there was any inkling of pain. I felt a few twinges here and there in both feet, probably from not running in so long, but nothing painful.

My lungs burned like crazy. They weren't used to the cold air. And I felt really, really out of shape.

But I did my first post-injury run. And every run from here on out will get a little bit easier.

I just have to take it slow and steady and not push it until my foot gets some of its strength back.