Resting Easy

It has been an incredible indulgence to have taken this time off from running. While my legs are feeling jittery and I'm restless and ready to run again, it's been nice to "sleep in" until 6am. It's been nice to give my legs time to heal; the twinges in my hip flexor, knee, and foot (all on my left leg) are growing faint. I've spent this time getting back to work, coaching volleyball, and relaxing. It's funny how, right after traveling for the holidays, I'm always in desperate need of relaxation.

This week off hasn't left me feeling awful or depressed, as I wrote about feeling on unplanned days off. In fact, I feel whole and sound in my body, mind, and spirit...as corny as it sounds.

I've kept myself in the running loop, though. The three or four Facebook running groups that I follow are alive with chatter as fellow runners gear up for their big races. Mine has passed and I'm in a moment of suspension, but it's cool to sit back and watch the training go on around me. Goals are being met, feedback is being requested, advice being doled out, and I am happily finishing the last of the cranberry sauce and pie and just...taking a break.

It's nice, too, to know that this break isn't indefinite. There have been times in the past when taking a week off quickly rolls into months of inactivity; that's what started this 2012 resolution in the first place. But I know this time that this year has changed me. Running has become too important to me; I will not fall idle again.

I'm not ready to ruminate on the year. It's an upcoming post which will be more appropriately timed, but even the thought of sitting down to write it is daunting. For now, I'll leave it at that.

I am so excited to run this weekend. My plan is to have no plan. Ah, freedom! I just want to stretch my legs, take it easy, and start at square one. This weekend's run won't be about training. I'm not even quite sure which race I'm gearing up for next, so I guess the answer to that question would be "none". There are a few left on the list for this race season, but they're in the back of my mind.

I'm reliving fond memories of breaking out of two-milers at the end of the summer and consistently adding distance and weekly mileage, rocking our first long-run, shocking ourselves at how far we could really go, and how easily! It's exciting to know I'll be starting back there soon, and that the increase and skill will come back faster this time around. It's exciting, too, to know that I'll be able to add longer tempo runs, more long-runs...that basically this was my first round of training in a lifetime of training cycles, and this next cycle will give me the opportunity to climb up to the next level. Maybe I'll push my distance. Maybe I'll push my pace. Maybe my new goals will be ones that were previously unfathomable. Who knows? The running world lays open wide with possibilities before me!

I feel weirdly...fresh. A chapter is closed - the Half is finished. A new chapter begins.

On my time off, I've been collecting the quotes I get from RunnersWorld.com. I feel like it would be lazy to just post a bunch of them and call it a blog entry, but I want to keep them somewhere that's easy to access and available to others in need of inspiration. I think I'll create a new tab for quotes sometime this week. It will be good mental prep that I know will get me revved up and ready to rejoin the running world.

ABK

Weekly Report: Nov. 19 - Nov. 25

The only run this week was my Turkey Trot, and I'm totally cool with that!

ABK

ALSO Youth Turkey Trot 10k

Thanksgiving is usually one of M's and my rush-around-crazy-busy holidays. Our parents live in the same city, and we have the pleasure to visit and partake in festivities at each of their houses. We've never run a turkey trot before, mostly because I was under the impression that our local one was 5k beach run, and because we're always so short on time. But this year we learned that ALSO Youth, an organization dedicated to supporting LGBT teens, was putting on their third annual turkey trot, and that it would be downtown. Instead of running the beach, we would be running the causeway bridge, and instead of running a 5k, we could run a 10k instead.

The race route, from M's Nike GPS.

So, we were in! The race was Thanksgiving morning, only four days after the Half, and I hadn't done any small runs or such between the two races. My right knee and hip flexor had been giving me some issues on and off, and the morning of the race my knee was especially painful. Still, I was too stubborn to back down from the 10k to the 5k, and decided to go into the run as a slow, steady post-race fun run.

The morning started off unbearably cold - for us, anyway. We arrived at the venue when it was still 55-degrees and windy. S, M, and I were all running; our cheering section included our mom, M's mom, and G, S's boyfriend. I had opted for long running pants because of the cold weather and wind, but this was a mistake; by the time the sun was up, I was feeling a little warm. Still, it wasn't terrible.

Pre-race...Brrr!

The run was gorgeous. We all started at our own paces, but S caught me on our way up the bridge. (This bridge, by the way, is much steeper and longer than the bridge K and I train on, and it was definitely a hike.) We ran a few miles together by the water, but after our turn-around (just about 4 miles in), I was really starting to feel the pain in my leg. S went ahead and I pulled my pace back a bit.

The high winds and steep inclines got me in the end. I had to walk near the top of the bridge on the second ascent, but ran 6 of the 6.2 miles, so I'm happy with that, especially considering that fact that I was in pain the entire run. I did have one of those moments of clarity where I realized 6.2 miles really doesn't seem all that long anymore, even when I'm struggling through it.

Getting my second wind.

My time was a sad 1:07, with a pace of 10:13. (To compare, my last 10k was 58:27.) My Nike+ had some issues and I had to entirely reboot my iPod, so I don't know my splits, but I'm sure they weren't negative. I took off a bit fast in the beginning and really slowed down in miles 4 and 5. I was able to pick up again at the end, and I overtook two women I'd been neck-and-neck with the entire race. Still, my place was 174 of 219 overall 10k runners, and 39 of 46 in my AG (divided up as 18-29, which honestly is a pretty big range). I'm not at all happy with that, but I need to remind myself that this was meant to be a nice, easy post-Half long-run.

M and S both did very well; this was M's first 10k and he ran it at a faster pace than any of his training runs. S came in with the same time as her previous 10k, but with the bridge included this meant her pace was better.

Post-race...sunny and warm

It's nice to see that I'm continuing to infect others with the running bug. My brother-in-law recently bought his first pair of real running shoes, began training, and ran his first race on Saturday.

The rest of the day was spent over-indulging and seeing family...and the rest of the week was more of the same. Work starts up again Monday, and it's back to regularly scheduled programming, as they say.

Really, I'm ready for a couple easy runs before scheduling my next race. This was such a light week, and despite my injury I am chomping at the bit to get back out there, but I know I need to take it easy for a couple more days. Then, it'll be time to get back to it! I can't wait!

ABK