Runner A has just completed a third marathon, besting her previous personal record by 15 minutes. However, Runner A has run very little in the two weeks following the marathon and has no plans to run a step for at least another week (if not longer). She has been enjoying the sleeping-in aspect of no longer running in the morning before work and getting in a good amount of strength training during her lunch break at work. Runner A isn't sure when she'll start training for another marathon.
In contrast, Runner B is nursing a slight injury and can't wait to jump right back in to running. In fact, she found a training plan that looks fun and has been eyeing fall marathons. Runner B cannot wait to get out of the gym workouts she's been stuck doing and back out into the early morning calm of empty roads and paths. Happy and proud in the fact that she accomplishes things on a daily basis earlier than most people are awake.
I am both runners (obviously). Yes, I have gone on record saying I would (gladly) be taking a break from training and just taking my running as it came to me. No pressures, no plans. Yes, I was on several websites this morning drooling over marathons, reading reviews and day dreaming about getting my marathon PR closer to 4 hours.
How easily I am persuaded to change my running plans? I can't help it! I know how much fun I've had training for and running races and when I see one that looks like fun I want to be a part of it. I don't see it as a bad thing. I'm excitable! I'm enthusiastic!
These are the good things about Runner B. However, I know I could learn from Runner A. After all, there is such a thing as burn out. If I want to continue my ambitions of being a lifelong runner, a runner who runs through pregnancy, kids, middle-age, old-age, I've got to recognize that in order to run forever I've got to pace myself.
While I sit the next week out, I'll have to see about bringing Runner A and B together and finding out how to make the two compromise.
Today's Daily Dozen:
Strenght Training (BROCC) @ lunch hour
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