Don’t Stop

For all the runners who read this blog in the hopes of following the trials and tribulations of a marathon runner, I have three words of wisdom for you: Don’t. Stop. Running.

It’s incredible how even a few weeks without a run can put a dent in your running form. I haven’t run in two months. Today I received an email from the Running Room advising me that the new half-marathon clinic was beginning tomorrow. I had completely forgotten that I had pushed my winter registration to the summer/fall session. My initial reaction was: oh crap – I can’t do this now! But even though I’m on hiatus from running right now, I really, really don’t want to give it up so I half considered re-joining. However, when I checked the schedule and saw that our first long run (this Sunday) was 7 km I quickly decided a half-marathon training wasn’t the best thing to be doing right now. Oh yeah… and running 7 kms scared the shit out of me too! It’s crazy that in the last year I’ve run three half-marathons and a full marathon, yet after a few months without running and I’m scared I won’t be able to do a 5-k!

My second piece of advice my friends: diversify! I realize I kinda overdosed on the whole running thing this year. On top of my training I also taught two clinics. What do they say? Hindsight is always 20/20. Ah yes. I did a little too much of the running thing this year and perhaps if I had changed up the routine a little I might not have burnt myself out. The irony is that I actually teach this in my clinics. Yeah. Do as I say; not as I do. Hah!

Don’t give up on me just yet fellow runners! If I can get my life/career on track and into my house I will be hitting the trails again. We’ll just call this my off-season in the meantime.