Sarah, Me and Patty at the Game Day 5k last month. Patty kicked butt, and Sarah and I took 1st and 2nd in our age group.
Long time no chat folks. After Chicago I needed a break from running and blogging. Honestly I needed some time to think about what I want to do with my blog for the coming year.
For many of my readers you have watched Chris train for his first attempt at a BQ (and get it), and now you have lived through my first attempt at marathon training (which I did complete). The excitement lives on for us personally, but as far as blogging goes I needed to think about what is next.
The next logical step is to start blogging about training harder, to get faster and to accomplish new goals for 2011. Honestly, I don’t think that is where I want to take my running. My 2 year anniversary of when I first started “officially” running is in a few weeks, and since that time I have thought of nothing else, but training and getting faster. Most runners come from an athletic back ground or at least had some recreational running (2 or 3 miles here or there). I started with ZERO experience and only the desire to challenge myself with something I wasn’t even sure I would like. Running for the enjoyment of running somehow never made its way to my training plans.
So this year I think I will try something different with my blog. I want to share the fun I have with running and not focus on the miles I hit for the week, or the tempo run I did or didn’t do. If something amazing happens on a run, then awesome I will share that with you. If running sucks, then I will share that with you too. All of this doesn’t mean I’m not following a training plan (I actually have had it written for a while), or that I won’t attempt to challenge myself this coming year (I hope to regularly do tempo runs, which I never seem to keep to). However, the fun and excitement for me can be drained when I focus so much on what I haven’t done or hit, and instead I miss reflecting on what made the week a fun running week.
For example, the Saturday after Thanksgiving I had a flare-up with my shin splints that caused me to take 5 days off of running. Unlike past experience, I didn’t go into panic mood because of my lack of running. Instead I saw it as a nice break before marathon training starts at the end of this month, and as long as I was healed in time for my pacing duties at the Jingle Bell 5k I was fine with the break. I may have only logged 7 miles last week, but I had two extremely fun runs. On Thursday night our group run meets up and we had a new runner show up this week that fits right into our cynical banter. It was a great run chatting to the new girl and getting to know her better (even better my legs felt great). On Saturday I was super excited to pace a group of first timers (none of which had run longer than a mile) at the local Jingle Bell 5k. I was dressed in my snowflake crown and knee-high socks, and ready to lead this group of anxious runners through their first 5k race. I was so proud of how far the group made it and how dedicated they were to the cause (they also raised $1100 bucks for charity). So regardless of my low mileage and over coming an injury I had a really great time running this week, and that is what I want to focus on.
If you don’t mind I will be doing away with the weekly recap of my training for everyday of the week and reciting my mileage. Sure I will share as the situation calls for (and no I’m not on a mission to hide anything), but to focus on that week in and week out just isn’t fun (nor tantalizing reading).
Give me a few weeks to get my running mojo back, and I am certain I will have some running shenanigans to share with everyone. Until that time stay tuned I have an amazing marathon on my schedule for March 20, 2011 and training starts on 12/27/10. For those that don’t know where it will be here is a hint…..it will be a colossal good time in one of the most romantic cities in the world, tehehehe.
Me, Sarah, Danielle and Patty...my marathon training partners at our celebration brunch. We all did it, we became marathoners.
stevih
Chris
Stevi, I love that you have reevaluated what you want of this blog. You know, it’s really just your outlet and we’ll keep reading no matter what. I love that you have found the pleasure in running – you’ve met people, you’ve challenged yourself, you’ve grown. It doesn’t always have to be about what pace you hit or how many miles you covered in a week. Honestly, that just adds stress sometimes to something that is supposed to be a stress reliever!
I hope you enjoy a little more down time (I have virtually taken off since the marathon in October so you are definitely not alone). And I look forward to hearing about life in your blog… with a little running thrown in here and there (you can’t leave us hanging about how training is going with the most amazing marathon in the world!).
Big hugs to you and hope you are doing well!
I’ve been thinking about you lately and so happy to you see blogging again!
I look forward to following your marathon training! Good Luck!