Entries RSSMy attempts to get back on the training wagon have seemed feeble at times. These days I relate everything back to the marathon only because for 16+ straight weeks prior to March 2, I ran my little heart out. Motivation was not a problem because that big “M DAY” circled on my calendar wouldn’t allow me to slack for more than a day. But now? I seem to be dragging. If you think I am exaggerating I will tell you this story. Today at lunchtime I got up from my desk, grabbed my bag of running clothes and began walking towards the bathroom to change. I got halfway there, stopped, realized changing my clothes, running, showering, changing again, and getting back to work all seemed way too hard so I literally pivoted in the middle of the hallway, walked back to my desk and sat back down. I got back to work for a minute or so when I looked at the clock. When the hands read 12:30pm I realized that while all the effort needed for a mid day run seemed preposterous, sitting indoors at my computer for the next 5 hours, without a mosey outside, sounded even worse. So I got back up for a second attempt. This time I made it all the way to the end of the hall and once I was there, it seemed silly not to change my clothes. I managed to even get my shoes and eventually make my way out the door.
Amazing that 6 weeks ago I went out for 16 mile runs and today I cant even get myself out the door. I managed only a quick 3 miler but in the end, I decided it was better than nothing. I thought back about the time when what used to be my long runs, became my short runs; and about the fact that my short runs from before are once again my long runs. If my short runs are now my long runs, then have my old long runs become? Ludicrous. As I thought about this fact today (not for long as clearly I was running for only a short 30 minutes) I realized that the only way that my runs got easier before was that I kept doing them. They weren’t always easy. In fact, my first 2 miler about 4 years ago was down right hard. A few years later, 18 miles was easy. Today, we are back to hard. But I am confident that it is only a matter of time. When I start running 6 miles, my 4 milers will feel easy, then I’ll push to hit 8 and my 6’s will become easy. Eventually I’ll be back in double digits and think back on today, when three miles along the beach at lunchtime seemed sooo hard. And I’ll laugh. 3 miles? Piece of cake! But not today.
