'Second Thoughts' would be a good blog title for a speed runner. For me today, it's how I'm feeling about the whole 'run 26.2 miles' thing. Had a rough morning and quit the run. 10 completed out of 16 and then called my spouse to pick me up in a car and drive me home.
Yesterday....
Drove 3.5 hours to my parents house and ate a lot of food, then drove 3.5 hours home last night.
Then puppy piddled on the bed for no good reason so we slept with no blankie, and the 3 year old woke us up at 4.
Got him back to sleep and the puppy woke me up at 4:45. Ate some toast before the run at 8am, but didn't Gu on the run.
Today (anything prior to 5am is NOT today).....
Got the 'fuck this fuckering fucker fuckle of a canal!!' blues
Got tired of my ipod
I've been on allergy medicine for the last three weeks (hey!! another 3!!!!) which has had a negative impact on my cardio and has brought a drastic increase in my snot-rocket production.
My running partner is now 'injured' (I think it's fake and a juvenile call for sympathy) and couldn't join me
The weather is PERFECT right now in Phoenix (for balance--I'm not ALL bitch you know).
So, I crapped out on a long run. Not the end of the world, but most authorities would say that the long run is THE run to not miss.
So I have a 4 mile run scheduled this weekend to 'recover' from the long run. I'm always wary of junk miles, so I know adding another 6 mile run doesn't get me a 16 miler. A 16 is a 16 and may not be sliced, diced, or otherwise subdivided. Move on.
Thinking back to the reasons I started running ---- I want to be one of those guys who goes through the front door at 7:15 am on a 60 degree day and cracks off 5 miles. Big smile and an easy shower then oatmeal and my vitamins. And repeat about 3 or 4 times per week and get skinny and get tired of all the money.... Not the guy who checks his Garmin like a twitching spastic, has lost all left foot toenails, has to do laundry mid-week for all the stanky tech-fabric, lives by a training plan that sends me out the door at 5am in the cold, reads Runners World (actually, I mostly just read the celebrity junket on the back page and complain to my poor wife about the inconsistent advice from issue to issue), talks about running to anyone who will listen, ad nauseum.
I want my 44 year old bag of fatty bones to be in shape to enjoy my three year old, yet I find myself soaking in an ice bath, drinking a coconut water, and pleading for a half hour of rest. So maybe I'm admitting that long distance isn't for me. Maybe organized races aren't for me. Maybe I'm some kind of 10-12 mile a week guy. SUAR says to sleep on it. Betcha I wouldn't need to quit on 16 hours of sleep right now.
8 comments:
oh, man...i feel your pain. i find that i really like the half marathon distance. the training isn't as time consuming, the race doesn't eat the whole day, and even a 5k or a 10k race every now and then still can count as a training run. you don't have to run 10 miles around them just to make them count.
that said, i think i will be doing a full marathon this spring, on memorial day weekend. this means that the bulk of my miles will be on the treadmill over the winter. when is your race? seems like it is pretty soon...
Don't make any big decisions when your tired, hungry, angry or on the rag (oh wait, the last one doesn't apply to you). On a scale of 1-big deal this isn't on the scale. I've missed long runs and turns out I'm still able to finish the race. Sometimes reading running blogs is bad because everyone out there seems to be a diehard and we compare ourselves (even subconsciously) to them and think we just aren't doing enough. Not true. Talk about running 10 miles to the average joe and they will think you are a rockstar. Chock it up to a bad run. We can't all be Adams, EMZ's and SUAR's, but that is okay because the world already has one of each of those so just be the best Running through Phoenix there is and you'll be good.
Oh you have such good followers! As opposed to me, your "faking an injury" running partner who seldom reads your blog...lol! Everyone is right...you are a ROCKSTAR!! I wished I had been able to run with you on Friday but I would have been calling for the car ride earlier than 10 miles, more like 1/2 mile. Look forward to running strides and yassos with you on Tue/Thu next week...more adventures and learning! :D
Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays!
Seriously though man, while I can't pretend to be in your head (too much Asian porn) I do know what you are going through. It seems like whenever I'm running over 15 miles on my long runs I get a bit (a lot) annoyed with the time commitment.
That said, think of it in the grand scheme of things......missing one little run 6 or 7 weeks out from your race isn't that big of a deal.
Bad runs suck, though. There is no joke about that.
Sucky runs ummm...suck
:)
But the great thing about them is, they are usually followed by awesome runs.
go get your awesome run
I'd say just cancel Thanksgiving next year. You don't need that kind of a bummer.
Are the kids necessary? I find that they get in the way of a good training plan.
Maybe cutting back for a while or taking some extra rest days may help. Missing a long run or 2 this far out isn't going to make it or break it if you do decide to do the full. Just remember how far you've come. You run way more than the typical Phoenician! Hopefully you'll find your running mojo soon.
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