A number of things kept me away: First, Grad School (MBA) & associated stress, lack of sleep, poor eating habits, and then the sedentary lifestyle from sitting in class for hours, reading and assignments that required sitting or laying on the floor. Many nights I never made it to bed but instead slept on the couch or the floor all night. I kept working full-time, too. Besides school, which finished December 2022, COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the “stay-home”, the cancellation or limited group run opportunities, the mental-health, the friendships that ended, the moving to apartment and then first-time home, the deaths of loved ones, all are some of the contributions for placing running and this blog on the backburner.

I ran very little in recent years. 2019 was 710… 2020 was 291 miles, 2021 was 110, and 2022 was 63. Instead of running, I did pick up some other activities. I hiked and walked a lot more! (Turns out more people want to go for a hike/walk than a run with you, haha.) More on hiking another day. My boyfriend and I set out for a 17 mile hike and it turned into 23 miles… there will be stories. I purchased a bike with my tax return in 2021 so I’ve added biking on pathways and mountain biking, and recently, converting to an indoor bike to increase my fitness this spring when I don’t feel like running outside. I’m sure biking will be another post later. I found a garden to volunteer at. And I have always been a member of the chemical society but I’ve taken on more volunteering for that organization as a co-chair of a committee. Also, my friend and I launched the Detroit Science Book Club through the organization, but for non-members to join, too. Which brings us to books. I have returned to my love of reading. It was so hard to read “for fun” after undergrad and it took some years to recover, but I’ve discovered the app GoodReads and I love keeping track of the books I read. I read more and more each year. If you say you “don’t have time” – trying limiting time on your phone apps and carry/bring a book with you everywhere you go. Instead of scrolling while waiting for an appointment, take your book out and read. I’m always driving from one place to another to walk or work and I’ve discovered the Libby app for all my audiobooks (get off audible!). I’ve turned into the biggest advocates for libraries, haha!

Speaking of libraries, I occasionally rent a fitness DVD from the library and would exercise that way. #jillianmichaels

Here I am, post- Jillian Michaels Extreme Shed and Shred DVD workout

Jillian Michaels is a bit touchy touchy in these videos, it’s a little cheesy in the motivational aspect, and I don’t care for all the things she says (like expressing if you don’t do it she will do [violent /force] to you as a means of pushing through), but the videos get easier with time and work. I feel the burn on day 2 and I’m glad I did them when I do them.

My high school coach told us it is far easier to not get out of shape than to get into shape. I’ve never thought so much about that until now. I kept running those summers between seasons and a little during undergrad away at school. I ran my first marathon out of undergrad, changed my running for the better when I started group runs and accomplished goals I had that took years to reach. And now it is so hard to get out the door again! I’m working on it. I’m trying. I want to get back out there, I’m just a little slower and my heaviest weight ever (which, still isn’t a bad thing: it’s better that I’m eating than not eating, which before I had poor nutrition and wasn’t eating sometimes…). It’s coming along. I want to do a spring 5k. I might skip that step: I signed up for a half marathon the other night. It’s in early June.