I just wanted to sleep an extra hour. And for the record, it was glorious. I feel extra bad, because as i lounge around surfing the internet, i just saw were are supposed to get crappy weather tonight. I should have just gotten up and gone...
I have actually been suffering a lot of runners guilt lately, if this is even a real thing. No matter how far i run, i feel like a slacker, because there is always someone running farther. and probably way faster too. After every run instead of that "woohoo" feeling, i have been feeling kind of down, like i should have tried harder, or i shouldn't have stopped. At the same time though, i am extremely injury prone, and i know that if i push myself too hard, something will go wrong, and thats not cool either.
I think i'm just in a running funk. Perhaps a runk? The whole glamour of running a marathon has worn off and left the reality that i have to run a marathon, and that is super scary, no matter how many miles i run beforehand.
Sorry for being a debbie downer, this is definitely been a running crisis for me lately, especially during the week when i struggle to make an hour of free time to sneak a run in. On the plus side, sitting around wasting time this morning has allowed me the luxury of taking artistic photos of waffles with photobooth.
In case that whole running thing doesn't work out for me, i still have this.....
Stop beating yourself up! Do your best on any given day and that's all you can do. If you don't feel like running tonight or if it rains/snows, go to the gym and spin or elliptical. Cross-traning counts as training too! In the end, just do as much as you can and don't get into your own head. Because it's as much mental training as it is physical training for the marathon!
ReplyDeleteThats actually been a huge mental block for me! I see cross-training as "not running" rather than working my muscles while resting my tired joints. i HAVE to get past that!
DeleteI feel the same way about cross training. Let me know how you get past that...
DeleteDuring marathon training, this is about the time when your body starts to feel tired of all the training. It is totally normal to feel this way! I'm reading Hal Higdon's book "Marathon" and he talks about August being a tough transition month training for the Chicago Marathon in October. The mileage is increasing and you're pushing your body to do more than it has ever done before. With the Rockford Marathon in April, February is the August equivalent. Your feelings are totally normal!
ReplyDeleteThere is no need to beat yourself up--you are doing awesome. The longest runs are the hardest part and you are totally rocking those out!
FYI, we're having a group run at 6:30 tonight in Frankfort that you are more than welcome to join us for! Although, living in the city, I doubt you want to commute all that way, but just throwing it out there if you want to meet some new people and run in a new place. I know that's helped me before trying to get out of a "runk." :)
dannng, i would love to come to that running group! I am anticipating a two hour commute tonight with the weather, but if we ever get a thursday that doesn't suck, i would love to come out!!
DeleteDon't get your self down gingerfoxxx! know that a lot of us are dealing with the same issues! you have to do what's best for you. it's hard not to constantly compare yourself to the other runners out there, I do it all the time but we all have to learn to be happy with ourselves! you ran 16 miles on sunday BE PROUD!
ReplyDeletei actually enjoy the slow, long runs...its all those other stupid runs that get me down!!
DeleteTonight's forecast sucks man, I really wanted to get in 5 tonight outside but I am not looking forward to running through a winter storm watch. Don't be down though, we totally all feel the same way about running at some point. You are doing something, getting up a moving which is a LOT MORE than quite a few people can say so if nothing else, be proud of the accomplishment of simply getting out there and staying injury freeeeee. Hope you get out of your runk soon!
ReplyDeleteI am seriously beginning to think mother nature is screwing with me! Always attacking during rush hour! My main goal above all is to not injure myself, so i really need to just stop being a baby about the fact that i am not dean karnazes and cannot run 70 miles a week....
DeleteIt's hard to compare yourself to other runners and not feel like a failure. I try to remind myself to only worry about MY body and MY training. There will always be someone out there faster who logs more mileage. Also, I've heard that marathon training slows you down, because you are doing so much long, slow running. You need to go slow for a marathon, so you don't hit the wall. So don't worry about speed. Worry about distance, and only what your training plan calls for. Because if you get injured and can't run at all, it will be even worse!
ReplyDeleteI think the speed/distance thing is part of the problem. Even running 6 miles, i am naturally slower than if i run 3, so sometimes it feels like i am moving backwards!
DeletePlease don't be hard on yourself by comparing yourself to others. No matter what you do, there will always be someone faster, doing more. And they are probably happy for you, that you are working out too. They probably don't care what your pace is, just like you wouldn't think down about someone who is just starting running and struggling to run a mile.
ReplyDeleteIf you need to compare, compare to the people who don't do anything.
I know, i am actually trying to compare myself to myself last year, before i even started running, in hope of appreciating where i have gotten too! This whole running thing takes time, its a marathon, not a sprint (zing!)
Deleteoh do i hear you - did you see my comment on daily mile? i ran "fast" and wasn't satisfied... now i feel stupid. i should be happy, i couldn't have done that a few months ago. we can take a lesson from our own advice and run happy. i'll see you tuesday for a super fun run :)
ReplyDeleteI know! and you have been getting great runs in! I want to nip this in the bud so that i don't stop enjoying running. In the end, its really just about making new friends, and wearing brightly colored clothes that are socially acceptable.
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