Can't wait to go back running

On Tuesday I finally went to see a Podiatrist. I have been fighting this annoying soreness on the ankle bone on my feet for over a year. Actually since running Boston in 2007 to be honest. The thing is I could not take the time to really get this problem take care off due to so many races on my schedule. I kept telling myself that as long as I iced it after each run it would be ok. I was specting it to go away. Yeah right? wishes of a road runner crazy. And after Boston came a few other half's and than Chicago and puff!!! 2007 went by and than another year and more races..... Than I ran another 2 full marathon and the injury gets worse. Really, it's time to take care of this little bugger! so I said to myself: No more running for an entire 6 months; no winter training. First thing to do in 2009? see a doctor. Well, well, the year did not start that way. My running partner Mark, had signed up to run the inaugural race in Champaing-Urbana on April 11 which meant training during our harsh winter. Since I was the one that suggested him doing this one in the first place, I than signed up as well. So much for planning on resting this winter!!!. Well, doctor's visit would have to wait until the end of training season and race.

And training started. Gosh! it was not a easy one this time. Of course not!! this is CHICAGO!it'spected to be this way. First of all I hate running outdoors when is so damn cold and icy outside. I had sworn after Boston that I would never again train for another spring marathon and yet here I was doing it again. Plain crazy!! Not only I suffered thru a hard winter but also my feet was not helping at all. After each long run it would bother me for at least 3 days in a roll. Finally, I realized that if I did not take some time off to really heel I would not be able to race at all. Following advices of my ruining partner I skipped the last two weeks of training and my longest run on was 17 miles. Total training weeks for this race: 12.

At this point my goal for this marathon was just run it and if I had pain either I would stop or walk thru. that was, at the end, the best approach and a smart one. How the race went? well, not so fast.......it will be the subject of another post.

Oh, and the result of my visit to a Podiatrist? nothing really major. After taking X-Rays he determined that both akles looked pretty good but I tender to pronate a little bit which means I need a shoe with more cushinoning. I will have a custom-made orthopedic shoes insert that supposely, should fix my problem. I really hope so.

Another blog is born

Sometimes last year I decided to create a blog where I could share my experience, thoughts and mostly to keep an journal on this fascinanting world of road runners. When I created the blog "Running Girl" I never really thought that anyone would really care to read my posts which were basically an journal of my weekly training. What had just started just a jornal where I could write about my personal experiences and daily rountine become a real blog and followed by other fellow runners. How cool is that?

Since I am a Brazilian-American the most logical thing was to write my posts in English. It never really occured to me that other runners from other language other than English, much less Português, would be interrested in follow my blog which to me was really just a journal.

I guess I underestimated the power of the internet. A few month after I had created a blog I had several runners from both Brazil and Portugal not only reading my posts (thanks to online translation) but also following it daily. Today more than 30 runners from this two countries are following my blog. Quite amazing, indeed!.

I can only say that it has been an learning curve for me since I am new in this interesting world of blogs and a rewarding experience at the same time. Since creating this blog I have made several good virtual friends from both Brazil and Portugal. We follow each others blogs sharing knowledge, running tips, experience, and more than anything exchanging camaraderies. It's has been a truly joy meeting other runners from this two countries. Brazilians runners made me reconnect to my native country and the Portuguese are teaching me a thing or two about running, training and challenges we face as amateur athlets. Most of all it's great to share the same passion for this sport, even from a distance.

Now that I have learned a little more about blogs, it's time to have another page where I can write in English. It will quite challenging updating on a daily basis two blogs but I will try anyway.

Let's keep runnning.