Breakthrough?

I had a breakthrough of sorts with running today. For the past few weeks, I've been doing short strides on our street, but my gait has been terribly off. Thankfully, I didn't have any significant pain in the joint (which had been my PT's big concern all along), so the issue had been more of identifying the problem with my stride and correcting it. That has been easier said than done though. Running is such an automatic, complex movement that it has been hard for me to break down the components and identify the problem area. That's where my PT comes in, I guess. We finally seem to have nailed it today, I hope. With his instruction, I seem to finally have something concrete that I can get my head around to focus on. My mantra? Hip up. I have no idea how it's all connected, but somehow that simple focus makes my stride look nearly normal (although it feels awkward to me at this point). Eager to try it out, K and I hit the nearby trail this evening, and I was able to tolerate several 1-1:30 minute strides using my new mantra. K had been given clear instructions by my PT on what to watch for (and what to say as he has offered some rather unhelpful feedback thus far). Finally, I feel encouraged that this wanna-be runner will actually be a runner again. I am hoping that I can build up to 5 minutes in the next couple of weeks. Ah, how far I have come. The girl who has gone 30+ miles several times has been humbled by just trying to get back to a single mile. I had a similar thought as Sadie and I were slooowly walking down the stairs at the gym this afternoon. We've come a long way from pushing the pace and the distance. And, hopefully, we will again one day.