June 4, 2019 BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG

Running again. And feeling good. I can't believe it. Really thought my running days WERE over. It's been a long road--about 18 months. Won't say better than ever--just a new me--with a new attitude. Don't see myself  running many races--or setting any PR's--but that's okay. Just happy to be out there. There's really nothing better than pounding the pavement with a friend or two--especially this time of year. Appreciating nature and the wonder that is Spring--Can't believe how much I missed it-- thankful to be back.   Kudos to Vinyasa and Ashtanga Yoga for helping me  build the strength I desperately needed  in my upper body--especially my core. Core is key. Having a stronger core has enabled me to change my whole running stance. Just used the key principles I learned in yoga and applied them to running. Sounds simple but it's easier said than done. Here's my new running MANTRA-- Stand up straight--tuck the tail bone--hug the stomach to the ribs--run. Repeat.  If you're a runner of a certain age looking for a little inspiration--look no further than Gail Waesche Kislevitz's new book Running Past Fifty: Advice and Inspiration for Senior Runners. 
Gail has been a friend and inspiration for over twenty years. She's been running for about fifty years and is NO stranger to injury. She looks at running as a "gift that needs to be nurtured, respected, and loved." If there's one thing I've learned from my injury--it's this lesson. Gail is also an award-winning journalist and author of six books on running and sports. In this book, with a foreword by Amby Burfoot, Gail interviews many famous senior runners including Jeff Galloway, Ed Whitlock, Bill Rodgers and Kathrine Switzer. Their stories, however different, have many similarities. They are stories of people who share a love of running; a love that continues to shape and change their lives. These are people who plan to run way past fifty-sixty-seventy-eighty-even ninety. This book is important because it's about maintaining a healthy lifestyle through running and learning to balance expectations and set realistic goals.  I really enjoyed the stories about Amy Bahrt, Kathy Bergen and Julia Hawkins--who is turning 102!! She's got some great advice to live by. Enjoy this 265 page book  or a 4.5 mile run that's worth every step.