Yea. Unplanned hiatus. You've heard it all before. Not going to try and pretend it won't happen again.
The truth is, after the Pittsburgh half I felt burnt out on running. Normally after big races I feel more inspired to run. I'm motivated by my performance and a constant need to be better next time, to be able to pick off one more runner at the end of the next race. Hell, two days after the marathon I ran four miles and did it with a smile on my face.
This time was different. I didn't run for almost a week. When I did run it felt like a chore, and I was sluggish the whole way through. I did it because I had to, because otherwise I would be losing everything I've worked so hard for, and would be starting back at square one with running long distances.
Not to get all New-Agey on the blog, but it really took me taking a step back and looking at the big picture to get over this hump. A year before, when the Pittsburgh marathon happened I laughed at everyone running it....why would anyone ever want to run that far? And less than six months later I was doing a full with co-blogger Ange. Two years before, I was graduating college in the worst shape of my life. Running any more than a mile would have been a struggle (I say would have because I was in no shape or form running at this time...aside from maybe chasing after Ange when she would run home from the bar drunk to make sure she made it inside safely.)
I stopped worrying about how far I was running and what days I was running. I wasn't training for anything for the first time in a year, and I took the opportunity to just RUN. I ran when I felt like it, and for as long as I wanted to. If some days that was only 2.5 miles, well, so be it. Other days I wanted to run six. I knew it would all even itself out in the end.
It's been a month now, and I'm finally starting to feel good about running again. I'm excited to come home from work, change into my workout gear and hit my usual running path. In the words of George Costanza, "I'M BACK BABY!"
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have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI'm in a slump and this was the perfect thing to read. My doctor 'made' me stop running for awhile (nothing to worry about and too gross to describe!) and now I'm trying to get myself back into it... this weather isn't helping things!!
ReplyDeletehelp :)
Thanks for your comment about hot yoga - what type of practice is it? I've tried Bikram hot yoga in the past and really enjoyed it. But wow it was intense.
ReplyDeleteUptown girl - if it's what I'm thinking it might be, a similar thing happened to co-blogger Ange last year (stomach related?) It is possible to work through it and continue running! Although I agree, the heat is making it EXTREMELY difficult to get back into running. It's one of the reasons I haven't posted in over a month...it's just too damn hot.
ReplyDeleteWaspy Redhead - it's a vinyasa power flow yoga...it is ridiculously intense. I've found that a lot of what I get out of the class depends on the instructor though - I had to try several to find a few that work for me, but once I did I was hooked.