A Break
Seeing as how it's MARATHON WEEK, it seems fitting that all I can think about is a break from running.
Don't get me wrong, I'm really excited to run the Eugene Marathon. I feel strong and ready for it, but the last few weeks, my heart and head just haven't been very "in it."
I knew motivation was waning when I had a tempo run on my schedule for the evening and all my mind wanted to do was nap. And let me tell you, I do NOT nap. The manfriend has to force me to lay down often after long runs because I just want to keep doing stuff.
Looking back at my racing calendar, I haven't really taken a break from half marathon/marathon/50K training in the last two years. I've simply bounced from one training cycle right on to the next without so much as a month to chill. Wouldn't that be a novel idea?
In fact, yesterday's King Estate 5K reminded me how much fun (and hard) this running thing can be.
And sometimes, you even have the chance to meet legendary runners like Meb Keflezighi who is in town for the marathon.
Anyway, my goal for this week is to take it easy. Often, the final week of training gets me spazzed out because I want to make up for the missed mileage by doing other "easy" stuff like biking, weight lifting, cross training, etc. but I need to make sure to keep my body fresh and focus on the race ahead.
So after the marathon, what do I plan to do? Well, for now, the plan is to NOT run for a week. I will probably do some light biking and yoga, but that's it.
Previously, I thought about starting Jamie Eason's Life Fit Trainer program after the marathon, but I haven't decided. Also, a few weeks ago, I put my name in the lottery for the McKenzie River 50K again and got in - gah, I know! I sort of did this waffling over whether or not I wanted to run the entire summer away.
The reality is, I'll be running a lot whether or not I'm training for this 50K. Plus running on beautiful trails with friends isn't such a bad way to spend your day.
Overall, I just want to make sure I have time for other priorities and fun adventures with the manfriend (hello camping, I'm looking at you). And if I have to drop out of the race, I'm not afraid to do so.
Moral of the story: I need a mini break from running so I can fall back in love with it all over again.
Tell me: How is your Monday treating you so far?
Don't get me wrong, I'm really excited to run the Eugene Marathon. I feel strong and ready for it, but the last few weeks, my heart and head just haven't been very "in it."
I knew motivation was waning when I had a tempo run on my schedule for the evening and all my mind wanted to do was nap. And let me tell you, I do NOT nap. The manfriend has to force me to lay down often after long runs because I just want to keep doing stuff.
Looking back at my racing calendar, I haven't really taken a break from half marathon/marathon/50K training in the last two years. I've simply bounced from one training cycle right on to the next without so much as a month to chill. Wouldn't that be a novel idea?
In fact, yesterday's King Estate 5K reminded me how much fun (and hard) this running thing can be.
And beautiful when held at a winery - yes, there was wine at the finish. No, I didn't get any. No ID, no vino.
Anyway, my goal for this week is to take it easy. Often, the final week of training gets me spazzed out because I want to make up for the missed mileage by doing other "easy" stuff like biking, weight lifting, cross training, etc. but I need to make sure to keep my body fresh and focus on the race ahead.
So after the marathon, what do I plan to do? Well, for now, the plan is to NOT run for a week. I will probably do some light biking and yoga, but that's it.
Previously, I thought about starting Jamie Eason's Life Fit Trainer program after the marathon, but I haven't decided. Also, a few weeks ago, I put my name in the lottery for the McKenzie River 50K again and got in - gah, I know! I sort of did this waffling over whether or not I wanted to run the entire summer away.
The reality is, I'll be running a lot whether or not I'm training for this 50K. Plus running on beautiful trails with friends isn't such a bad way to spend your day.
Overall, I just want to make sure I have time for other priorities and fun adventures with the manfriend (hello camping, I'm looking at you). And if I have to drop out of the race, I'm not afraid to do so.
Moral of the story: I need a mini break from running so I can fall back in love with it all over again.
Tell me: How is your Monday treating you so far?
Comments
Then I think I'm going to spend the summer tri training again and trail running! I'm thinking of dabbling in crossfit during May and June to get toned up for the wedding!
And oh my gosh, I hope you take that full week off afterward! It's always hard once you get to day 6-7, but so worth it to let everything get back to normal and recover 100%.
I am very ready for a nice long break after Eugene. I have been training hard for over a year. My body needs some rest!
I think it's def a good idea to take a full week off after this marathon! Can't wait to see how you do!
Yes, sometimes you need to slow down and take a break to remember that you DO love running. I took a break after my last marathon, which basically meant running for fun, and I still ran 15-25 miles a week, but it really gave me the strength to rally all over again and now I am back in training mode with that much more energy!