First and foremost, I promised a 5k recap. On Sunday my little sister and I ran a 5k costume race and we were both ballerinas. I think we were too cold to take a lot of pictures but we got a few. The race was in a state park around the lake that I swam a 5k race in (in July), very cool! The temperate was around 40* and a lot of people showed up in silly costumes.
(Hannah was a Steeler’s ballerina)Â 
I spent any time I wasn’t running next to the fire. 
Hannah came in at around 29 minutes… not too shabby for a 13 year old!
Like my tutu?! My time: 22:52. Pace: 7:29. I wasn’t too happy with myself because this race is quite flat.. I wanted to do better but I haven’t done ANY speed work since I was at Seton Hill practicing cross country.
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On running: I feel as if running was a huge part of my blog in July-August because I was getting ready for the cross country season and I HAD to run because my coach had given me a specific training plan that I was to follow.
Then I got a knee injury. Then I didn’t end up running cross country.
Ever since late August, running has just been here and there in my blog. Sometimes I talk about a race and sometimes I don’t mention it for weeks.
I have been running! In fact, yesterday I went out for a run. Stats: 4.16 miles in 36 minutes with an 8:38 pace. Cool beans.
Here are a few reasons as to why running hasn’t been discussed too much lately:
1. School has taken over my life. No joke! I feel as if all I do is study/write papers/do homework. I’m so happy to be learning so much and i’m feeling blessed that I am getting a college education. I want to make the most of what I am learning and I want to achieve the best grades I can. Sometimes running just doesn’t fit into my schedule. That’s okay with me. Lately, I run about 2-3 times a week.
One of the many to-do lists I write daily.
2. I’m still afraid to “go hard” because I don’t want to get injured again. I haven’t done speed work since August. The least little twinge I feel in my knee or any body part for that matter makes me question if I should be running or not. So sometimes I just take a week off if I feel funky.
3. I have been loving swimming and weight lifting lately. I often go through phases of activities/things that I love. Just ask my boyfriend, I’ve been obsessed with scrap booking, spinning, playing Mario on my iPod late at night,baking cakes, Just Dance 2, reading, coloring, and attempting to crochet. I’m still obsessed with some of the things I just mentioned (baking when I have time, Just Dance 2, and reading). I go through the same thing with sports. I can’t say I have ever been burned out on running because it is still new to me, but I have definitely been burned out on swimming! Lately I have been loving the pool and I swim about 3x a week! Unless i’m training for a triathlon, i’m not going to swim and run the same day, so if i’m swimming 3x a week that leaves me 2-3 days of running or weight lifting and I do what ever I feel like. 
Yay swimming!
4. The weather is getting COLD! Yeah… this is a crappy excuse haha. Cold weather running isn’t my favorite thing, but I still run… just not as much ;).
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So that’s why running hasn’t been on my blog too much. Would I like it to be on my blog more? YEAHH!! I suppose that is something I can work on, but i’m not going to force myself to do anything I don’t want to/feel like/have time for.
I have been looking into a half marathon or a full marathon for the early spring.. so we’ll see if I get any injuries in the near future. If not, then I’m game for a half or full!
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Have you ever held back on all-out running/other sports because you were afraid of re-injuring yourself?
Living My Full Life 
I figured school had a lot to do with why you weren’t running because I read your tweets. It’s the same way with working jobs and stuff, you always have to balance running with real life and if you’re getting out there 2-3 times a week and running 5Ks that fast then obviously you are doing something right, and you’re doing more than so many people.
The race pics are cute too, it’s so neat that you did a costume race and they even have that there because they don’t here. As far as blogging about running goes, I don’t claim to have a running blog so I don’t feel like I have to talk about it. Writing race recaps gets old when you do the same races every year and you hang out with the same people at every race and then you realize you’ve worn the same green Nike shirt at 3 of the 5 races you’ve done this Fall.
As a writer (and former journalism student), I feel like I can find a story in anything but after the 5738395th 5K, I just don’t want to :).
Every day since the 5K I injured my ankle in back in April! I was basically told not to run because the injury would flare up tendonitis in my ankle, and I did experience some pain after running last week. It’s so frustrating!
I think it’s awesome you’re focusing on other aspects of life like school, there’ll always be time for running 🙂 You’d totally OWN a half or full marathon though, you’re a beast!
I definitely limited my running for a loooong time after tearing an Achilles tendon, and it still limits my willingness to do workouts that involve jumping and other ankle-intense exercises. Yuck. And crocheting! YES! Glad I’m not the only one getting crafty as the weather gets cooler 🙂
hey, i feel ya. Running is a part of our life but sometimes we need to get stronger to enjoy it. Glad you are running again. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you did great!
School is totally important! Seeing your post-it note makes me miss it so much more (being a grown-up isn’t all fun and games). But really, the game doesn’t change that much, you still need to juggle all of the million things you want to do, including running if that is your goal. I love the pics of you and your sister! I made my brother and dad run a 10K with me a couple months back, and I think they were happy they did it in the end 🙂 On another note, don’t let your injury hold you back. I saw that the Pittsburgh Marathon & Half opened up, and it’s in May. Go for it!
This is so great that you are focusing on other aspects of life…school and other fun things. You are inspiring me lady! I need to take a step back right now to get my iron levels back up… I must remember that running will always be there
You don’t have to run if you don’t want to – winter-weather makes it so hard to push yourself. It’s good to rotate things in and out, IMHO. 🙂
Maybe I’m just preaching to myself because I’m struggling hard with running…
It’s so hard to balance everything sometimes, isn’t it? Honestly I’m glad I cut down to a 4x/week lifting regimen — with FT work, FT school, freelancing, volunteering, and husband/family/relaxation time, there’s no way I could keep it up 5-6x a week! Ugh.
I go through hobby phases too. Not so much with particular sports/whatever you’d call powerlifting, but with how I spend my free time in general, ya know?
I can definitely relate to how you feel about running and your injury. It can be scary! Going through the whole injury process is annoying and expensive and nerve wracking, and the thought of having to go through it again makes me so freaked out. I definitely get very cautious when I’m injured!
Pittsburgh half/full maybe??? And awesome job on the race! I think you are definitely being smart by not rushing right back into running and I hope the knee stays strong!
I think that it’s hard to get over an injury, sometimes not just physically but also mentally. I injured my knee about six years ago, and it took me a long time to feel confident that it would hold me should I fall or twist it. But I’m finally over it, because it’s proven that it’s finally strong enough to handle my running… and occasionally falling. 🙂
Swimming. Wow this couldn’t have come at a better time. You know my struggles with that.
I’m glad to know you are still running and swimming (not that I didn’t from DM ;)). Im currently just trying to get my jive back into place. We will see where it goes lolz.