Yesterday was a beautiful day. It felt like the perfect day to go for a run. So I laced up my new shoes, the ones I bought on sale weeks and weeks ago. The same shoes that have been sitting patiently in the front closet, waiting for this day – the start of my running season.

The winter break was longer than usual this year. I’ve missed running so much. I just can’t seem to run in the winter. It feels like my lungs are going to freeze. And after a cold weather run, I find myself coughing for the rest of the day. Not fun! I also don’t like running on treadmills so I have an off-season every year.

The first run of the year is usually tough. After an extended break, it is often hard to get back into the routine. Knowing this, I made sure to do a lot of stretching and to not push myself too hard. I ran at a comfortable pace and a bit shorter a distance than what I normally like to do. But it wasn’t hard this year.

It was a great run. I ran a short loop and it took me about sixteen and a half minutes. It felt so amazing. I probably only ran about three kilometers today but it was a good start. I’ll will work up to running 5 kilometers and increasing my pace and time over the next few weeks. After that, I will run a few 10 km routes. I much prefer to run these middle distances. This summer I also plan to go in a few races. I should be back up to speed by then.

It feels great. Running season has now begun!