With the exit of Hurricane Earl has come the cooler and drier fall air in short order.

Fall is my favorite time of year. It is also my favourite season for running. I love the changes. I love the change in the air from how it feels so cool & crisp to the smell of everything. I love the change in colours of everything around me. I love the crisp leaves crunching under foot. And I love the change from sleeveless and shorts to pants and long sleeves.

However, this is the second summer that I’ve felt summer wasn’t long enough. Last year we were just royally ripped off, with summer weather starting and ending (other than a one-off day here and there) way back in May. This summer has been fabulous in all respects. The weather has been out of this word straight through, and I had just graduated from my professional degree, begun my new job and reduced my working hours from a full-time job, plus school, to a 3 day/week job in my field of study. 4 day weekends, all summer long, plus vacation time – it’s been a dream.

The relaxing pace of summer was just what I needed on top of it all to rejuvenate and make up for some lost time with my children. However, I found as summer was coming to an end, that I still wasn’t looking forward to Autumn, my favourite season. I didn’t want the girlies to return to school, nor did I want the busy fall schedules to start. Yet here we are. The first day of school under our belt, and one of the many after school activities already begun.

It didn’t help that the summer weather was hanging on. setting records, and reaching the highest temperatures of the year, just as we were to let it all go.

About 4 weeks ago I decided that I needed to establish a manageable and sustainable fitness routine before everything else wound back up. Running has been my favourite means of exercise for nearly five years now. However, it’s been a constant struggle of two steps forward one step back, then two steps backward, one step backward, forcing me into a constant state of trying to get back on track. Fibromyalgia and the sleep problems that coincide present additional challenges, and it’s hard for my brain to forget the easier fitter days of my youth, (prior to letting myself go for nearly a decade).

But, I digress.

Just as I had gotten into a groove with a new routine of running first thing in the mornings, with plans to continue getting up before the rest of the family and get my workout in before getting everyone off to school and work, my back started spasming. For more than a week now I have nursed it, and it’s still not quite “right”. Now that Earl has cleared the air and autumn seems to be on its way, I am looking forward to getting back on track this week.