Running Outside, Cross Training, and The Big Picture

I did part of my run outside yesterday and I LOVED IT! I meant to do the whole thing, but after the first 5 minute segment I was having some highly unfortunate shin splints. So, I did the next two segments at the gym. After being outdoors, banging away at the treadmill was...super boring. But necessary, because it helped the shin splints. Then I got too bored, and did the last 5 minutes outside on my way back to my apartment.

On my way inside, I met one of my neighbors! Exciting because he's the first one I've actually interacted with. He was very nice and had a beautiful black furry dog named Lexis. We chatted about running and I told him I had done my first outdoor run. He told me he runs with his dog every day - that would be so so nice to do. If only I had a dog, instead of a cat who has never been outside. (I would love to let her outside, but we live on the 4th floor. Awkward.) I also kind of feel like a dog is too much responsibility for me to handle without someone else, but that's a tangent. Anywayyyy...

Running outside was great. I'm going to try and see if I can increase the time I spend outside throughout every week without aggravating my shin splints. I've been icing after runs, and stretching before/after (which is harder to do when running outside but MUST BE DONE), and I read that maybe taking ibuprofin before running could help. Neighbor Guy told me that there's some kind of band you wrap around your leg under the knee. We'll see.

On to part 2: Cross Training! I've been doing yoga since early September and I don't know, I thought running and yoga would be completely counter-productive. But now I see that the intense stretching keeps me limber when running tightens me up. And this morning I did kingfisher pose, something I definitely could not do last month (it involves grabbing your foot in a quad stretch, raising the opposite arm, and bending forward). I don't know if the running specifically helped me get better, or if it was just the yoga, or a combination of the two. But I like where things are going.

Spinning off of part 2 comes part 3: The Big Picture. I'm registered to run a half marathon. In addition to running, I need to eat as if I'm in training, and add some cross training in addition to the yoga. I found some good ab work to do, so I will report back on that later. As for food - last night I made broccoli, mashed potatoes (instant I admit) and grilled salmon, with enough leftovers for lunch today. Cooking! I love it. Now I just have to get rid of the vanilla latte's and leftover Halloween candy and everything will be ok. More later!