Boo to Blue Monday

Today is”Blue Monday.”

Or maybe it’s spelled “Blew Monday.”

The third Monday in January when most people figure out they can’t maintain the resolution made on December 31.

If you resolved to start running, and have now failed, start with me again.

From where I stand on Blue Monday, January was just some month-long throat-clearing before 2019 really starts.

All of December and half of January I nursed a back injury that had me bed-ridden for ten days, shuffling for another week, then walking with a pronounced limp for more days than I wanted to count, including Christmas Day.

Finally, the pain has receded. I’m walking. Tentatively doing some Pilates.

And today, on”Blue Monday,” at 2 p.m., I am going to take my first run in six…maybe seven…weeks.

Basically, that’s like starting to run for the first time. I’ll need to re-learn a lot of things, including stride, pacing, motivation, and just remembering why I’ve liked to run ever since I took off in fourth grade and came home four miles later, smiling.

And in the spirit of “Blew Monday,” I’m going to blog about this process. I’m hoping for frequent posts but it depends on how much time is needed to write the next Raleigh Harmon mystery—in which she lets me write about running, too.

But my real hope is the lessons re-learned can help someone out there who wants to start running. Maybe for the first time. Maybe starting up the habit again.

Either way, I hope you’ll join me.

As the saying goes: Run for a good cause—yourself.

–Sibella