Aaaand I'M OUT!

Only this time, there is no badass mic drop, à la Kanye West.

Nope. Not this time.

Just as the weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and I was getting back into my running routine, disaster struck: I had a pretty gnarly knee injury.

The injury itself was pretty badass, if I do say so myself.  I was injured during a roller derby match. Yes, that's right: roller derby. This is kinda how I remember it happening:

But in reality, I'm pretty sure it was more like this:

In either case, the bottom half of my leg went one way, while the top half of my leg went the other, causing my right knee to pop in all kinds of places. After x-rays, MRIs and a slew of other tests, the diagnosis is in: torn ACL.

Luckily, due to my superhuman-strong legs, it's been determined that I don't need surgery. Instead, I need to work on the other muscles on my knee to live a "normal" (I use that term loosely) life, sans ACL. In total the physical therapy should take around four months.

So I've been couch-bound for about a week and, according to my physio, I should be able to start riding a bike in another 3 weeks or so. And running can resume probably in another 5 weeks. Super.

This is just typical, though, isn't it? I've been putting off running (and exercise in general) all winter long, and now I have finally got my motivation back to hit the trails once again with running at lunch, in the evenings and weekends. And then THIS has to happen! ARG. Frustration doesn't even begin to cover it.

It's like the universe wants me to be fat and lazy.

As previously mentioned, I'm the world's worst patient. So naturally I am hating every minute of this. And I am totally jealous of anyone who can actually walk.

Will I make it through this? Of course.

Will I be entirely unbearable during the process? Definitely.

Boo.

Mission: The Most Epic Running Playlist. EVER.

BORED OUTTA MY GOURD

So for the last week I've been sick with that horrible thing that's been going around. Sweaty and shivery, nauseous, headachey and just plain miserable to be around. I don't even want to eat. No, seriously. And those of you who know me know that eating is one of my favourite things. THAT'S how sick I am.

And as anyone who knows me will attest, I am the worst patient in the world. I hate being sick. HATE. IT. Being forced to sit and "relax" (ew.) and not being allowed to move around because my body simply can't handle it is as frustrating as everything on this list. COMBINED.

So, in order to keep my mind busy while my body betrays me, I have decided to create the world's most epic running playlist, and I would like your help.

When I say running, I mean RUNNING. I don't mean basketball warmup or crossfit music. These are totally different genres, and if you participate in any of them, you totally know what I mean. So, dear readers, I would like you to tell me what songs motivate you to strap on your running shoes and brave the elements for a run. What keeps you going when every muscle in your body is screaming for you to stop and go home and eat a block of cheese? ('Cause I know it's not just me who has that).

You can email me, tweet me or facebook me with your submissions.

Disclaimer: this is a judgement-free zone! I don't care what kind of music gets you going. I just want to know what works. To show what I'll mean, I will post some of my more eclectic choices and we can add to them. 

Here we go:

The Most Epic Running Playlist. EVER.

(in no particular order)

1. Sabotage - Beastie Boys
2. Heavy Cross - Gossip
3. Standing Outside the Fire - Garth Brooks

4. F*cking in the Bushes - Oasis

5. Here Comes the Hotstepper - Ini Kamoze

6. Blood of Heroes - Týr

To be continued... your turn!

So, What's Your Excuse?

Since landing a desk job where I am basically sat 9 hours a day straight, the exception being the occasional coffee or bathroom break, I have struggled to “find time” to get back into running. As such, I’ve made a New Year’s resolution to be more active and to MAKE TIME. Anyone who has survived a Swiss winter will know that running before or after work is essentially out of the question (-12° Celsius/ 10° Fahrenheit  in pitch darkness), so I’ve started running during my lunch breaks at work at least two days a week. And actually so far, it’s been alright!

I get a break from the monotony of my day-to-day, take in the fresh, crisp mountain air, and get to see things like this en route:

But there are still days where I just don’t wanna go. It’s too cold, I’m too tired, my legs are sore, the office is too busy. And unfortunately, about 70% of the time these excuses work and I end up staying in the comfort of my glass box, watching the outside world from behind a computer monitor. And to be honest, sometimes I’m ok with that. I convince myself that my excuses are valid and I’m making “the right decision” by staying inside.

Then I saw this remarkable story about a young girl called Kayla Montgomery. Get your tissues ready:

After seeing this incredible girl fight through her disease just so she can run – just so she can feel alive and make the most of her legs while she can still use them, it kinda puts things into perspective. Suddenly my sore legs don’t seem all that sore, and my tired body doesn’t seem all that tired.

So, what are you doing over this lunch break?