How Being Injured is Different for me now… + Weekending + Shocked

(Shorts, tank, long-sleeve, shoes)

I assumed I would be freezing cold in the garage for my ride, but 2 minutes into Robin’s (I just want her to be my IRL friend) class and I was sweating like crazy.

The long-sleeve top came off, the fan was turned on, and the 45-minute class made every muscle in my legs burn.   PS I keep thinking I should organize my garage for pictures, but that would just be silly because our garage always looks like it exploded, and I’m okay with that.

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Skye joined me for some upper body strength.

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And then we went to her happy place.  She sat like this with her eyes closed for five minutes, just soaking up her favorite place in the world.

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We didn’t do a lot over the weekend, but we did make it out to grab some pumpkins.

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Followed by watching the Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen Halloween movie circa 1993.

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The best thing I ate this weekend = we made my mom’s lasagna, and I cannot wait for leftovers today.

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And because this is the week to make all things pumpkin…  Chocolate-Dipped Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.

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Always a good sign when the cookie is almost as big as your 3-year old’s head.

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The other day, my brother told me that he felt bad about what was going on with my foot, and I told him not to worry about it because I don’t feel the way I used to feel when I couldn’t run.  After I got off the phone, I started thinking about why I am not nearly as upset about having an injury compared to this sort of thing happening in the past…

OF COURSE, I want to be running.  Of course, I miss the feeling of lacing my shoes and feeling the fresh air on my face.  I miss meeting up with my running friends (but weirdly, many of them are injured right now too), I miss spending time adventuring on the trails and can’t wait to feel 100% again.

But my plantar fasciitis is so different than my injuries 6+ years ago… back then, those injuries crushed me.

I think there are three reasons why injuries aren’t as hard as they used to be for me:

1.  I have learned that my worth has nothing to do with running.  My worth doesn’t change just because I’m not accomplishing running milestones.  It doesn’t change because I can’t get out and do what I used to do.  My worth is inherent, and there are zero miles or race times that can change how I feel about myself… that wasn’t the case in the past.  A lot of my self-worth used to come from running, and if I couldn’t run, it was hard for me to see all of the other great things about me.

2.  I have learned that running is ALWAYS there waiting for me.  I’ve taken enough breaks because of injuries/life problems/postpartum recoveries to know that running isn’t going anywhere.  Sometimes I have to be more patient than I want to be, but it always is there waiting for me to get going again.  With most of my breaks, I have only come back STRONGER and faster than before my break.  I’ve always come back from breaks even hungrier to work for big goals.  This break from running right now might be exactly what my body needs to have an incredible year of racing in 2022!  Yes, it is definitely hard to lose fitness and start all over again, but it’s doable, and it sure is fun to see all of the improvements again.  I’ll be resetting my watch again when I return to running so I can celebrate the new milestones along the way!

3.  I’ve learned to really enjoy other forms of fitness.  I also love spending more time on hobbies that I have too (like sleeping in;).  I’ve been cooking more, watching way more late-night movies with Andrew, reading, and it’s been a blast falling in love with cycling and strength training.

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I also suddenly have so much time to do things like organize the pantry or search the internet for more leggings that I don’t need;)

Injuries are rough no matter what, and I most definitely feel bummed at times to not be running, BUT the above reasons make this time away totally okay.

That first pain-free run back is going to be amazing!

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What was the highlight of your weekend?

When you aren’t running, what hobbies/passions do you have more time for?

What show (if any) are you hooked on right now?

Do you agree or disagree with the findings from this very important worst Halloween candy’ survey?

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-I am shocked and saddened to see tootsie rolls on the above list.

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55 comments

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Also shocked to see tootsie rolls on the list! But I agree with the rest. There is other much better Halloween candy!

I flew back to Baltimore on Saturday after visiting my family in AZ, so it was kinda a sad weekend. But I decided to be productive and got a lot done yesterday to prepare for the week! Also got my flu shot and I have a huge fear of shots, so I’m proud of myself.

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It seems like all of us agree that tootsie rolls should not be on that list! Way to go overcoming your fear of shots and getting the flu shot. I’m sorry you had to head back home and I hope you are able to make it back to Arizona for the holidays. Have a great day, Mariah!

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I LOVE Candy corn!! This week will be all about surviving the Halloween crazies in kindergarten. We will do a science experiment with candy everyday. Regarding your injury just my 2 cents but I think it is easier for you because…1. you are a more well rounded athlete 2. experience you know that with time it will get better and you will be stronger for having gone thru it. happy Monday!

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I love candy corn too but I always think I’m in the minority with that. Oh I bet your week is crazy! I want to join the science experiments with the candy each day. Enjoy seeing their excitement and costumes this week. Thanks Amy, I totally agree! Have a beautiful day❤️

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Love your positive attitude!! I did it! I broke the 2 hour half marathon time I’ve been chasing for an eternity! 1:58:54! This was my second half marathon in two weeks so I didn’t have high hopes after last weekend’s PR of 2:03. Running down the Poudre canyon definitely made it possible.
Keep up the strength and spinning!

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YOU DID IT!!!! Oh my goodness I am so so happy for you. Two prs back to back and reaching your sub 2 goal! I am thrilled for you. I hope you are still soaking in that pr high? Congrats and thank you so much for letting me know DawnMarie!

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Wow, sub 2 is awesome and a phenomenal accomplishment! Nice job DAANMARIE!

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I can relate to this post. I’m not injured, but I just finished a marathon training cycle and this was my first weekend in 18 weeks I wasn’t sore, tired and starving. It felt so good to reset my house, do a yoga session and spend time with friends I have been neglecting. Having different seasons of life make us appreciate each one!

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Congrats on your marathon and that training cycle! I bet this weekend felt a little foreign and so good after all of your hard work! “Having different seasons of life make us appreciate each one!” AMEN. Have a beautiful day, Kristin.

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Good morning Janae and everyone!
The highlight of my weekend was finishing “Deep Nutrition” I feel slightly horrified over some of things I learned but overall so happy to understand the reasoning behind why some things impact me as they do. I feel like I have a good grasp of how I want to handle my health going forward and am looking forward to seeing how I feel after implementing changes.
I am obsessed with my Peloton and so grateful for it over the past year! It is my therapy everyday! Would love to follow you but can’t find you on the app. I am a fan of Robin as well and am curious what classes of hers you are enjoying the most.
Crazy as it may sound but I don’t watch any shows. I will watch the same movies 43290503 times before I switch to a new one but I am generally found reading books.
That candy survey…I agree with most (the wax bottles absolutely are scary!) but not going to lie…I did love me some Smarties :-)
Looking forward to seeing the Halloween costumes!

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Hey Amanda! I’m so happy you are feeling better educated after Deep Nutrition and you will have to keep me updated with what changes you make and how you feel! I’m Janaebaron on Peloton, I would love to follow each other! I seriously have loved all of Robin’s classes so far and her HIIT ones make me cry a little haha. Andrew loves to rewatch movies too! My kids love smarties too so they were upset to see that ha. Have a beautiful day and thank you!

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Thanks Janae! I found you, YAY! I’m acinthe808. There search is not like Google! :-) I just took 2 Robin classes this morning after reading your blog. She is awesome.
Also, I have to agree with someone in the comments regarding Tootsie Rolls…the fruit flavored are the best! Now that is all I am thinking about, haha!

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We are peloton friends now wahoooo! Way to go on your two Robin classes! Hope you get some of those fruity tootsies ASAP!

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Uh oh… we’re giving out Smarties this year! Ha ha… it was my daughter’s request, not my idea.
FYI I’m getting shockwave treatments for my PF- my doctor says he has a 100% success rate with this treatment! I’ll let you know how it goes- it’s once a week for at least four weeks so it takes a while.

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Jenny, shockwave therapy worked wonders for my PF! I needed an extra session (five in total) but haven’t had pain in over 1.5 years now. Fingers crossed for you!

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Oh this is fabulous to hear! I need to try it!

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Andrea, I really appreciate you chiming in on this! It gives me so much hope! Thank you.

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My kids would love to come to your house, smarties are their favorite! PLEASE let me know how it goes and I am so excited that you are going to have some relief soon! I need to find someone that does it. Thanks, Jenny!

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A big highlight: making some v. good placement adjustments in the pantry. They’re really good because they will make accessing items most days of the week sooooo much better. We don’t have a walk-in pantry, so it is what it is with fitting items in the back and the front of the shelves. Access is part of doing it right because if it’s too hard, we won’t do it. Editing is fluid, and it’s really great when you sense you made v. good edits!!

Robin said, Peloton instructors aren’t just bodies on a bike…. Heart it!

Shocked to see Smarties in the top 10 worst. Then again, they’re a big sugar shock and a lot of effort to open every one. Did the same source post their top 10? Wonder about their criteria.

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Oh I love that quote from Robin! I have no idea if that survey is accurate ha but it sure seems like it with most of the candy on there? Have a beautiful day Lee and wish I could send you some of that lasagna!

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I gave up candy almost 3 years ago, because I loved it too much, but when I was eating it I liked licorice (red only), tootsie rolls and smarties. In Canada we call smarties rockets. We have a different candy that we call smarties. They are candy covered chocolate, kind of like M&Ms.

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I have had and love Canadian Smarties! Now you are making me want some ha. Your top three favorites are Brooke’s favorites! Have the best day, Corry!

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Also, your lasagna pic is IG level.

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Okay I am personally offended that tootsie rolls are on that list! Are they crazy?! My sister and I used to fight over them from our halloween hauls!! The original are so good as are the fruit flavoured ones, YUM!
~~~Healing vibes to you and your foot ~~~

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Right?! Those are one of the things I always steal from my their bags haha. I forgot about the fruity ones, I need some ASAP. Thanks Andrea and I hope you have a beautiful day!

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It’s funny, the older I’ve gotten the more hobbies I have. I enjoy running, but I don’t think it will ever be “the only thing”, which seems to be good for me considering I’ve had plenty of injuries. It’s so good to have other things, although I can’t wait to see you back out running! I haven’t even heard of some of those halloween candies! I do like candy corn though.

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HOLLIE! Yes yes yes! I feel the same way… the older I get, the more hobbies I love. Thank you friend and I hope your Monday is a beautiful one!

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I agree with the worst Halloween candy, except for Tootsie Rolls and candy corn!
You have such a good and healthy outlook/attitude about your injury. And I love to see you really enjoying other things too. I think sometimes, injury or not, we all need a little break. I haven’t run for 4 days, not planned, but I think I mentally needed to take some time to do other things. It feels good, and when I’m ready to run, I will be happy and excited about it.
Highlight of the weekend was definitely having a house full of family yesterday ?. It definitely filled my heart!
Have a good Monday and start to the week!

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Yep, those two must have been an error in the survey! I’m so glad you are giving your body a break from running and know that running will be there for you whenever you are ready to do it again! It really is the best way to go about it all. I bet that felt so good to have the family all there for those bday celebrations. Thanks Wendy, you too!

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Highlight this weekend was curling up in PJS by the fire as we had a rain storm with dogs at my feet. We are taking care of my MIL dog this weekend too so we have a full house lol.

But also a trail run with the running family and cheering some of our friends on as they raced Diez vistas in soggy conditions. We parked right by the aid station and cheered for all the runners too. Next time I need to remember to bring more food for waiting lol.

When I am not running I love to bake read, write and other winter activities like snowshoeing and snowboarding

Glad you are able to enjoy all the activities with your family and sleeping in. Happy Monday Janae!

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Hey Kristine! I love that you have your MIL’s dog too… curling up next to them with the fire going sounds perfect. Trail running and cheering… sounds like the perfect weekend. I really want to try out snowshoeing! Thanks friend and happy Monday!

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Hi Janae! I’ve been biking a lot with my dad and I feel like it’s great for quad strength, which hopefully will prevent more knee injuries for me. So I’m pretty happy about that even though all the biking meansi ran less miles last week.
Enjoy that lasagna, looks amazing!!

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Amy! I completely agree with you about biking… it really works the quads and I hope it keeps your knees happy (I think it does)! Such great memories to have with your dad. Thanks Amy and I hope your Monday is off to a great start!

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Speaking of injuries, I promise I’m taking your advice on patience in the recovery process to heart…BUT I have a quick question about the speed of recovery. Ha! I just recently began running and have self-diagnosed myself with IT band issues (which I read are super common). Have you experienced this and did you keep running (but just lessen the miles) through it? :) Thanks!

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Hey Kelly! I am SO so sorry about your IT band. That injury is also so frustrating! I did have that once back in 2013ish and I took off about 5 weeks (if I remember right) and did things like pool running and anything else that didn’t hurt (rowing felt good for some reason too). I hope you are able to get this taken care of ASAP, it is not a fun thing to have! I’m here anytime you need to talk.

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I’m glad that you’re able to not let injuries affect you as much anymore- I’m the same way and I think that attitude is really important!

My high this weekend was doing my first actual race in nearly two years! It was a 4 miler and I felt amazing during it and managed a small negative split.

Right now the shows I’m watching are Dancing With the Stars (Cody from Peloton is on this season!), Survivor, and Squid Games. I’m also watching Great British Bake Off and doing all of the Technical Challenges along with the bakers each week :)

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Hey Gretchen! Ahhh congrats on your race and I bet it felt so good to be back in the environment again! Negative split.. boom! Best feeling. I love that you are doing the technical challenges at home each week, how fun! Hope your Monday is a great one!

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This weekend, I enjoyed my first run back after a surgery last week. I took it easy (just a 30 min easy jog), but it felt good to ease back into things. I actually like candy corn; I know that makes me a crazy person. ;) Have a great week, Janae!

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I am so so happy you were able to get in 30 minutes of running today after your surgery last week. Sounds like everything went well! You are not alone, I love candy corn too! Have a beautiful day, Emily!

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The only candy I don’t agree with on that list is smarties!! I love smarties!!

On Saturday I went to a corn maze with my friend and her family. Let’s be real, I’m not great at mazes on paper, let alone one in real life to walk through. We made it through the “kiddie” maze in 28 minutes and then did the giant maze which took 35 minutes. My friend said she came a previous year and it took them over an hour to do the giant maze so I guess we did pretty well. Most of the time we were following her 3 year old too LOL.

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My kids were upset to see smarties on there too! I hope you get some soon! Turns out you are amazing at mazes… teach me your (and the toddlers hahah) ways! Sounds like a wonderful weekend and I hope your Monday is off to a great start. Thanks Alicia!

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I’m so glad to hear that this injury isn’t as mentally tough as past injuries have been for you! Just out of curiosity – if you couldn’t spin or row, would you feel the same way? I ask because I had PF and found that both felt good *while* I was doing them but slowed down the healing progress of my foot and once I stopped both, my foot healed in two weeks time. I also find that I need some form of cardio as an outlet and not having any made it more challenging… really helped me though to learn coping mechanisms outside of fitness altogether and lean into those.

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That’s a great question Maeve and one I’ve been thinking about a lot the last few weeks. I’m positive the bike is helping me through this injury and if I couldn’t do that then maybe walking or yoga or pool running or swimming would be something that I was doing. But injuries used to really be a struggle for me even if I could do other workouts… Running was my self worth back then and if I couldn’t run, I was very sad. It’s been fun to learn about myself that a 20 minute bike ride does the same thing for me.. I just need time in the mornings to do something just for me if that makes sense and I love that about fitness! I’m sooooo glad yours was able to heal up so well while also finding those other coping skills, I’m working on those too so you’ll have to share with me your favorites. Thanks for sharing your story with me and helping me to uncover bit more about myself. Hope your day is a beautiful one. Thanks!

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Huge error, tootsie rolls need to be off the worst list. Love tootsie rolls, and smarties.
More time for reading and binging the rest of Yellowstone to be ready for the season 4 in 13 days, but who’s counting???!!!

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Right? It needs to be on the best list. Let’s revise this list! Time for me to watch Yellowstone… sounds addicting! Have a great day, Nancy!

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Running breaks were different to me for a lot of reasons than when I was younger, but a main one, which maybe you can relate to is reaching a major goal. Taking a break and putting a hearts goal on pause was hard before I knew that goal would eventually come. Now there is almost proof that when something is meant for you, it will find you. You just exhale now and soak in all the blessings.

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PROOF that it will find us… I love that thought so much and I completely relate with you. It’s so true, if brings a sense of security rather than urgency that it will all work out how it should. Love chatting with you, Erica. I’ve learned so much from you! Have a beautiful day!

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Just wondering how much time did you spend running? You act like you have so much free time but you’re still working out so that has to take up time. I don’t see how you have that much extra time!

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On average I was doing about 8-12 miles a day along with driving places to meet friends for my run and today I did a total of 40 minutes in my garage so probably about an hour less time… but also I just have more energy from not running to do more things ha so trying to figure out my game plan for future training! Have a great day!

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I personally don’t like Tootsie Rolls but I wonder if they are on the list for just being something people don’t want for Halloween. I mean, we get so many throughout the year at other events and parades that I feel like Halloween should bring out the ‘better’ candy. The only one on the list I would consider good is the Smarties and still I feel like that can be saved for other times instead of Halloween.

I just finished watching Only Murders in the Building and it was so good and now I’m sad that it’s over. Need to find another show to start!

My highlight of the weekend was finishing getting my flowerbed dug up before it gets too cold and wet. Feels good to get that crossed off the list. We also went to a pumpkin patch and it’s always fun to watch the kids run around doing all the activities.

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I started my new job today, so I didn’t get a chance to see your post until just now. :)

As for your ‘worst halloween candy’ meme–I’m ALSO shocked and saddened to see tootsie rolls. I may be in the minority, but I really like them.

I love that it didn’t take long into your spin class that you had the fan going and the long sleeves off. In Atlanta, the mornings are starting to be really chilly…but I have the fans whirring as soon as I step into the spin room to teach my class. My regulars, by now, know that even though they’re cold when they walk in the room to be happy about the fans from approx. 3:47 into our first song of class. The newbies (when they do come) complain…the first time!!!

Hmm, did I do anything good over the weekend? OH! I finally drove myself to a bakery in the city, Hell Yeah Gluten Free, that has a cult-like following. Everything looked SO GOOD, but I showed some restraint. I waited in line for over 30 minutes (the lines literally snake around the shopping strip…), and I left with an apple cider donut, a from-scratch cinnamon & brown sugar pop tart, and a single-served almond shortcake thingy that was filled with almond paste. All three were AMAZING–I think I ate every single last bite! And I wonder if there is something to gluten free…I had no sense of bloat, or sluggishness, or foggy-headedness. SO strange. Usually, after I eat sweets (or even pizza), my stomach feels gross and I tend to feel like I can’t bend over into a forward fold and comfortably reach my toes. But I felt totally fine. Interesting.

Once my health insurance kicks in, I wonder if I should find a functional medicine doctor and see if there is anything to gluten and my body. But maybe I should use the next handful of weeks until my insurance kicks in to track how I feel with whatever I eat. Maybe that’d be a good starting point.

ALSO, I found a great pair of black jeans. I wore them to work today with a pair of black loafers, a black sleeveless shirt with buttons down the front and the tiniest ruffle around the collar, and a taupe colored longer open-front cardigan. A good balance of comfortable and professional, IMO! :)

I hope you’ve all had SUCH a good day!

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I know EXACTLY what you mean! I recently hurt my back and couldn’t run or really do much for a week and had this happen a few years ago I’d be moody, depressed even and now…I’m so much older/wiser and able to appreciate things. I have 3 kids who bring so much joy to my life and I was able to sleep in and spend more time with them. I think sometimes an injury is a little reset button and maybe it’s needed so we keep remembering what’s most important in life. Xo

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I LOVE your mindset here. I’m overcoming a neurological injury that affects my participation in life in many ways, and your words hit close to home in those ways too. Grateful for you!

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About half of those WORST candies are Ross’s favorite. lol. Does that mean I married a psychopath?
I am so happy that you are finding other things you love to do for working out and seeing the positives from not running. You will definitely be back out there and even a few months is just a blip when you are looking at the grand scheme of things.

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I’ve always been someone who wanted to do *all the things* so sticking with just one hobby is hard (if not impossible) for me. Besides running, I love cycling, tennis, reading, cooking , crafting, knitting…. I mean, I clearly need 48-hours days!

Not happy about your injury but about the fact that you’re discovering others hobbies for yourself again. :)

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