Motivation Monday: Moments…and what happens when running won’t be in my near future

I have to remember this.

I have to remember this.

I have to remember this.

 

Running is simply blah for me.

Motivation is not happening for me.

And training for this marathon simply just sucks.

I have no idea what happened last week, but I completely feel off the bandwagon of the Abs Challenge. <<
My 27 mileage week turned into a 14 mile week.
And my IT Band practically ripped away from my femur.

So, needless to say, this past weekend include 0 miles of running / biking /anything workout related.

I prepped for five weeks to ease myself into this training plan, but I’m afraid it’s still too much running for my body.
I’m afraid my IT band issue is going to severely flair up with 5 days of running and the addition of miles.

But I really want to run this marathon.

I’m struggling.

I’m almost burnt out on running. I’m almost burnt out on blogging.
And I just don’t know how to get back to those daily runs that make me enjoy life.

All I can think to do right now is ice, ice, ice, stretch, foam roll, ice, icy hot, and cut two of my running days a week for biking.

But… that little tiny pitter patter of running excitement is gone.

Have any of you ever struggled with this during training? Am I over training? Am I burnt out? Will I ever get it back?

I honestly think that my body is just simply tired from the last five years of running. Between pushing myself too much to not pushing myself at all—from ups and downs and highs and lows and crazy training cycles—to the stress of life and so much change—I think I’m just tired.

Which is probably why, if I make it through this marathon—which right now all time goals are out the window, I just want to finish—I’m going to take some time off.
And by time off, I mean severe time off.

A whole year.

I know. That sounds terrible. And frightening for me considering running helps me get through so much. But I don’t know how to get back to it the way I love it without stepping away for awhile.

I’m not going to go all sedentary and quite on you. I’ve still got my bike, which I really need to build a better relationship with, and the pool, and weight lifting—I’m going to hit this hardcore since my new dream is to become an Olympic Weightlifter.

But for now, I’m taking running one day, one step at a time. Like I said, I really want to conquer this marathon. If only to finish.
Forget the hardcore training, and the hills, and the tempo runs.
Maybe forget a sub-4 finish.

It’s about finding the moments that make me see how beautiful my life really is.

Passing the Baton: Seriously though…anyone ever really struggled with marathon training? What about IT band issues? How do you keep the pain at bay? How do you make it go away forever?!? Is that even possible?
_______________
Seek Peace. Choose Joy. Find Strong.

Motivating Monday: Those little whispers

Today marks the beginning of my official marathon training plan.
No, I won’t be running.

Today is, actually, a rest day.

And I couldn’t be more thankful.

I’d be lying to you if I said I was super excited  to start this plan.
That I can’t wait for the race and wish it was tomorrow.

In all actuality, I’m terrified.

26.2 miles is forever.
It’s the distance between the town I grew up in and the town we drove to to get groceries.
I always fell asleep on that car ride, and now I have to RUN that distance?

Then there’s the fact that my long run this next weekend is 9 miles, and it’s my last single digit long run for, oh, 4 months.

I think I’m schedule to run slightly over a half marathon in a few weeks.
I’ve never run farther than 13.1 miles in life.
I run that distance as a race. Once in while.
Now I’m using it to train?

What. Was. I. Thinking.

Or at least that’s the kind of thoughts running through my head this morning.

I mean, I love running. I really do.
And I love that I’m coaching other women to run.
Heck, I’m plotting ways to get Music Man to start running with me when he gets home and to like it.

Yet, 26.2 miles frightens me.
16 weeks of training for that distance scares me.
The fact that I’ll be running probably around 500 miles in the next 16 weeks terrifies me.

But today, I’m starting.
I’m moving forward.

Because all those fears. All those phrases repeating themselves over and over and over in my mind.
Those are just lies.

Sure, I couldn’t go out tomorrow and run 26.2 miles.
But from everything I’ve read, and every marathoner I’ve talked too… I’m learning that if I follow the plan, I will finish.

And I’ve never not finished something I’ve started.

Today, I’m starting and I’m banishing those lies.

So check back with me in 4 months.
Or follow along on my journey.

Because even if I have to crawl across the finish line because my legs have given out on me, I will finish.
I have no doubt about that.

Passing the Baton: What whispers are you facing this week? Any fears you need to conquer?
________________________
Seek Peace. Choose Joy. Find Strong.

I seriously thought about blogging hardcore today….

and then I fell asleep.

I know.

I’ve been excited about my weekend update post all weekend.

Mainly because it involved this

Yes. That’s from my Harry Potter-A-Thon Friday night.

But… I suppose I’ll get to that tomorrow.
And the million and one instagrams I have to share with you.

I’m sort of wiped tonight.

I finished my final day of pre-marathon training with a 9 miler that wasn’t really the Long Slow Miles it was supposed to be.
More like a tempo run finished in 1:17

I blame it on the fact that my running buddy was in town the weekend so we got to head out on the road together.

Joy!

Tomorrow starts OFFICIAL marathon training, and I’m starting off my favorite way.

A rest day.

It’s legit too.

I was thinking about pushing each week back a day so I could do my long runs on Saturdays, especially since that’s race day, but since RB is gone, I have no idea how I’m going to tackle 16+ miles alone, and the running club here in my town (LARC) has been meeting on Sunday mornings to run. I’m bound to be able to find someone to run with.
Plus, I find there’s just something about running long on a Sunday before church. Even though Sundays are rest days in my life… I feel like I earn them twice as much if I put in the miles in the morning.
And there have been many Sundays in my life when I’ve been out of town or unable to go to church, and my long runs sort of turned into my church on those days.
I guess it’s just something that’s stuck with me.

Alas. My hamstring is a little sore from today so I’m off to ice.
And my brain is sort of fried too from devouring books this weekend for my last summer class.
It’s starts tomorrow, and yes I read ahead.

You would too if you were discussing 12 books in 16 days.
Good thing it’s Young Adult Lit.

Cannot. Wait.

Enjoy your Sunday evening all!
Eat healthy but veg with your family.
It’s a good night to do it.
___________________________
Choose Joy.