Tuesday, May 24, 2011

rest

First, a few stats:

Races run: 9
PR's: 8
Most time knocked off a PR: 15m16s off 13.1
Most time/mile knocked off a PR: 1:11 off 10 mi; runner up: 1:10/mi off 13.1
Barriers broken: 30 min in the 5K, 100 min in the 10 miler
Miles run: a lot!
Treadmill sessions: too many!
Lowest outdoor temperature on a long run: 17 degrees F
Days of training lost due to injury: 0
Long runs missed: 0
New friends: yes :)
Weight lost: 0 lbs

It's been a charmed season, that's for sure. No injury, no major illness, no major snowfall. It was tough to keep up training with the background level of busy that goes on in my life. It's been such a great season, such huge PR's. I had hoped to break 30 minutes in the 5K, but had never entertained the thought I'd break 100 minutes in the 10 miler until about mile 8. It's great, but it's hard to celebrate a great season without acknowledging that it's unlikely that I'll have such a great season next year. Or the year after.

I know, I KNOW that I have the potential to run faster, run farther. And yes, the marathon is always in the back of my mind. It took everything I had to squeeze in the training for the 10 miler, I just don't know how, with two little kids and a full time job, I could ever devote the time to training for another marathon. Yes, I did it once. But my work schedule then allowed ample time for weekday runs, The Supportive Husband was just starting his business and not nearly at the capacity he is now, I had just one child who slept all the time.

It's overwhelming to think about the kind of life I would have to lead to even begin to live up to my potential as an athlete.

So for now, I won't. For now, I'll rest on my laurels, wear all my medals at once, and sleep in on Saturdays. And when the fall rolls around, I'll take it one day at a time, one run at a time, one step at a time. When I was training for the marathon, my mantra was "one foot in front of the other." I can do that.

I just took three whole weeks off of running. I wasn't sedentary - I rode bikes with my 5 year old, walked on the beach, lifted my 2 year old like a dumbbell, hossed both kids during swim lessons.

And when I finally went for a run again, it felt like home.