And we're (mostly) back on track!

First of all, I am so excited to announce that I am a quarter of the way to reaching my goal of raising $800 for Lazarex!  Thank you so much to everyone who donated- I am so incredibly grateful for your generosity and support.

So I finally got back to running today after a brief hiatus... my recurring femoral stress fracture had been giving me some trouble, so I took a little time off.  I've been really worried about it lately, but I'm feeling much more optimistic after a pain-free run this afternoon.  Granted, it was only about one mile (I am NOT taking any chances with this injury.... slow and steady, right?) but it still makes me feel better.

I also got to use my short run today as a calibration workout for the brand-new Nike+ Sportband I bought this weekend!!!

I'm seriously in love with it... it measures pace, distance, time, and calories, and it tracks everything for me on the Nike+ website so I can keep track of all of my workouts.  Pretty cool, huh?

I also got a new pair of running pants and some super shock-absorbing insoles for my running shoes to help prevent a recurrence of the stress fracture... hopefully they'll work their magic!

Now you're probably thinking, "Great!  Now she has everything she could possibly need to get back on the road!"  Wrong.  (Disclaimer: This is kind of yucky).  Yesterday during my yoga class, I noticed that one of my toenails is falling off.  It's nothing dramatic, but the big toenail on my left foot (the one that pushes against the top of my running shoes) is separating from the nail bed.  I'm going to see a doctor about it tomorrow, but I pretty much already know the solution: new running shoes, half-size up.  So that may be on the shopping list for this weekend.

Geez, sometimes I feel like an trouble magnet!  Between the stress fracture, fluid in my knees, Achilles tendonitis, and now this stupid toenail, I feel like I just can't get a break.....  I'm too young for this!  But like I said, I'm hoping to make this time different.  I'm building up really slowly, wearing good shoes, running on soft surfaces, and adding in strength and cross-training to help protect my joints, muscles, and bones.  Now there's nothing to do but hope for the best!

I'll keep you updated on my progress..... fingers crossed for no more injuries!