Wednesday, January 19, 2011

run lola run



First of all if you haven't seen this movie you should add it to your Netflix queue immediately. It should be required for cultural literacy and its absolutely great.

Onwards. You may remember I was training for this by following Hal Higdon's advanced training program. For a while all was so very well. It was tough but I was doing it. Then, one day I realized that I did not have enough weeks to actually complete the program. I was four weeks short. No problem, I thought to myself, I will cut out the rest weeks and adjust the tapering a little. Then I went to Utah to see my little nephew. I wasn't able to run much and lost five training days. When I got home, I promptly came down with a doozy of a sinus infection and so my running the last two weeks has been spotty and not up to snuff. Next week we have a family vacation, where I plan to run but who knows how that will work out. At this point my carefully orchestrated training plan has fallen all to bits. I still think I'll be fine. I probably won't be happy with my time, but there you go. Lately though, it's become work. I'm burned out. I dread long run days. They used to feel like a challenge to overcome and I loved them. Now they are just unpleasantness to power through. I have to run most days. I can't choose to do something else just to mix it up or alleviate boredom because it will throw off my training. I have to run a long run every single week or things get all out of whack. I need a break. After this race I am taking the rest of the season and perhaps the rest of the year off from marathons. I am going to spend a while focusing on 10Ks and halfs, on speed. I am going to finally lose this stupid 15 pounds that I swear is holding me to these slower times. I am going to sleep in sometimes. I will run long runs most weeks, but they will be 10s, not 20s and if I miss one I won't spend days worrying about how it will affect my training. I will run simply because I love to run, not because I insist on constantly having a looming deadline. I will find the joy and space and peace in the quiet and the wind and the rhythm of my feet. And in the fall, or maybe the next fall I will run another marathon, better prepared and without self imposed pressure to do it like others do it.  I'll just do it the best I can do it. And I bet it'll will be my best ever.

6 comments:

Emz said...

Awesome post Angie.
Yes it
Must
Be
Fun : enjoyable.

I certainly agree.

Don't worry too much about the "missed" runs. Just make the ones you do get in.....count!!

You're. Awesome.

Carrie said...

This is my running philosophy to a T! I only do it when I want to and it always feels great! When I move back I will totally run some 10K's with you!!!

Julie said...

WORD!!!!!

Kera said...

that emz...she's crazy smart. enjoy yourself for a minute. and come back to it when you feel excited about it again..

Linn said...

Ditto to everyone else. Let it make you happy. Otherwise, so not worth it.

Dena said...

Thanks for the reminder...
It is so good to stretch a body, mind and soul by pushing hard to grow. however, it is imperitive not to stretch yourself too thin in the process, as you could get hurt. Sometimes to keep growing you have to lighten up.

good to think about.

Love Mom