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I have been MIA lately...on the blog and the road. I just don't have the time or energy to run and I am in a rut. I hate my routes, they are inconvenient and not fun or interesting. The run doesn't take me away like it used to. It is now a chore. A hassle. A drag. My marathon training is in a bad kind of way. I have been getting in two of my three RLRF runs a week. Didn't run yesterday, didn't run today. And you know what I have to say about that? Oh well. I have eight weeks until OBX marathon. I have gotten in an 18 miler so that is at least good. But the truth is right now I just kind of don't care. Ugh, that is so awful. I can't believe I just said that! It's horrible. I feel so ashamed. I am supposed to be encouraging and motivating and here I am Ms. Debbie Downer of the Century. So, this is why I have been choosing not to blog lately. My mom taught me that if I have nothing good/nice to say then just say nothing at all. So, until I can snap out of this drag of a mood I guess I wont contaminate your positive, happy-go-running moods. But feel free to leave me a kick-butt, shape up, pull yourself up by your boot straps kind of comment. It will be accepted in the manner in which I am certain you intend for it to be delivered.
I don't want you all to worry. I will snap out of this, I always do. And I am going to revamp my marathon training plan. While RLRF is a great plan I just don't have the time to make it to a track for the speed work, and doing it on my street just isn't feasible. I stink at tempo runs too and really can't seem to do it unless I am on a treadmill. So while the three runs a week is good, it's just not working out for me right now since the runs are so technical and particular. I think I will be picking up on Hal Higdon's marathon plan. He has been good to me. Plus it is just easy to head out for a 5 mile run and not worry about different paces and miles. I may integrate pieces of RLRF into Hal's plan (when it is convenient) but for now, when I get my mojo back and crawl out from under my rock, I just want a pure run. Just me, the sweat, and the road....pounding out our differences.
Until then....I'm off to pack for a quick trip to Oklahoma.....
I'm the same way with you. I don't really do technical training plans too well. I am following Galloway but now, I am all over the place. :(
ReplyDeleteSo, I am doing part Galloway and part Hal's.
In actual fact, I really just want to go out and run and not die!
That's the goal!
Thank you for posting. This post is really important for people to read. Running isn't always fun, easy, full of yippppeeees and hooooorahhhs! Just like life, there are high points and not so high points. It eventually all evens out. If, as a life long runner, you do not experience those peaks and valleys - well, that is just unusual. It's about moving forward, one little step at a time - sometimes those steps are faster than other times but the forward motion is the most important part. Thank you for your honesty!
ReplyDeleteI do my RLRF speedwork on a treadmill since I can't get to a track. You know you can turn it around, so just do it & you'll be fine!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear I'm not the only one. I actually dropped my half since I wasn't getting my runs in and it was causing me so much stress! Learning to love running again is my goal right now.
ReplyDeleteCan I cop a squat and wallow with you for a spell? I've been sidelined by tendinitis in both legs. My 'first marathon' is out the window (for this year). I am not allowed to do any activity other than stretching 4 times a day right now. It will get better but it's really depressing right now, so i feel ya!
ReplyDeleteme thinks you need to put away all training plans for a week or two and get in some miles the way you ran before reading any training books. Maybe take a road trip to some trails and get off the road for a while? Maybe turn a run into running errands like going to the grocery store. Anything to mix it up.
ReplyDeleteHang in there! We've all been there before and you definitely will snap out of it - especially when you cross the finish line at OBX and the madness starts all over again!
ReplyDeleteIf had a dollar for every post like this I've done, I would be able to buy myself some really nice running gear. I think I've had 6 of these posts in the last month...lol
girl don't feel bad. something you love should not evoke guilt. take it day by day and have fun.
ReplyDeleteI know my friend Amanda.. and I know you will snap out of this small rut you've gotten yourself into. Be thankful that you haven't been injured since May :(.. and that when you are ready, you can pick up right where you left off. Did you forget that you have been training since January?..and that you rocked a 70.3 just a few months ago? Your body probably just wants to take a mini-vaca from all the training. :) I know you'll snap out of this, so I'm not worried AT ALL :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome back! I have missed reading your posts! So if I remember right, before you chose to adopt the RLRF plan, you kind of went through a similar rut with running. Then once you had a plan, you were excited and energized and ready to tackle the training. So maybe RLRF just doesn't work for you right now. So what! It's okay! But also MAYBE since you now have a new plan and are figuring out what works for you with your new busy schedule, you will get that same excitement back that you had when you first chose the 3 day/week running and had a PLAN. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like some "just running" might be the ticket to get your mojo back. I think we all know that forcing it is not going to do anything good... give yourself a break from the official "plan" and try to find some joy in running, even if the routes suck. Hang in there!!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the exact same boat. I recently moved to El Paso, Texas, and it's NOTHING like central Illinois, where I had lush trees (which are now changing for fall!), green grass, and just nice neighborhoods to look at as I ran. Now, I have to make new running paths, and it's dry, hot and dusty. We'll get through it, though!
ReplyDeleteI tried RLRF and it seems like there are too many rules for me to follow. My pace has suffered too due to lack of running and new elevation/climate, and I just get frustrated.
During the first paragraph, I was thinking exactly what you said in the second paragraph. You just need to hide the plan, get out the door and run... Your pace, your distance... Rekindle the relationship. Maybe a new pair of shorts, some new tunes... Whatever... Even if its just a mile. ;-). We all have slumps, but the longer they last, the harder to pull out of it. So get out there Amanda and be the badass I know you are!!!
ReplyDeleteI have been feeling the same way lately!! I am also use Hal Higdon's marathon training!! I have my marathon in 2.5 weeks and I am not motivated at all right now!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you get out of your rut! I know it stinks... get a couple of good runs in and you will be right there! Also, double up on some Vit D3 for a few days or weeks and that will help - promise!
ReplyDeleteOh and if you get a chance come on over and check out my running community- maybe you can find some inspiration there: http://theblogfrog.com/1503785
ReplyDeleteAmen sister, if I had a nickle for every time I felt like this! I'm so glad I'm not the only one who isn't always in love with running! I usually try to stop running for a week and do other stuff - like spinning- to keep my fitness up but also sort of trick me into missing running. You'll get back into it, just let yourself be!
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone. I've had a couple of dips like this during the last couple months. It's crap. Just be strong and keep hope that things will snap back into place soon. That's what I'm counting on anyways. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope this dip passes quickly for you!!
This post makes me feel like i'm not alone (not in a weird creepy way :)
ReplyDeleteI have been in a rut the last few weeks. Not blogging, barely running. I can't seem to snap out of it. I try to give myself mental pep talks and they are not working. I need to change something. I miss running too. Maybe it is the RLRF plan i don't know. But I hope to snap out of it soon :/
this was me a couple of weeks ago. my marathon is in October. i had to toss out my training plan and i even shortened my long runs so i could get to my daughter's soccer games. i was sick of the guilt of missing her games, so i decided i wouldn't. i even considered dropping down to the half, instead of the full. i was HATING my runs. they were a chore and not fun anymore. they are just starting to be fun again. i have one last long run before my taper. I'm going to do the full 20 miles (and yes, miss my daughter's soccer game this week) and then decide if I'm really dropping down to the half. tossing the training plan worked for me and runs are just starting to be fun again. i figure i have enough of a training base to at the very least, FINISH the marathon. it might not be pretty, but I'll finish. and then i will be extremely happy to say, i will NEVER have to run that far again! LOL
ReplyDeleteI've been in the same rut all summer, and I too chose to quit blogging until I snapped out of it.
ReplyDeleteMan, I hope that comes quickly. For both of us.