Everyone deals with the aftermath of a big race differently. My typical approach has been focus on the next goal at hand before the soreness from the race has even started to subside.
I'm rolling along a little differently this time around, and have been taking it a day at a time, running as much as I feel like on any given day. My running has been more social than usual recently, as I have been meeting up with someone different almost every day. That makes for great variety, and has helped me get back in the groove without thinking much about it.
That said, it's already apparent, just three weeks after the Trials, that I need more than just easy running. Whether that's racing or something else, I need to find activities that challenge me physically, and engage my mind and emotions. I'd go nuts without it. We joke about running as an addiction (a mostly positive one), but seriously, I thought a 40 minute run should give me my fix. Apparently not. A few miles is better than nothing, but it still leaves me antsy and a little bit ill at ease.
So...where to go from here? I do feel that I have really explored the marathon thoroughly, and I don't have much enthusiasm for doing another one. At some point I probably will. But for now, I'm looking for enjoyable running experiences.
Part of the enjoyment of running, for me, comes from pushing myself hard and finding ways of dealing with difficulty and adversity. It's an odd juxtaposition. I feel like I'm in danger of becoming one of those guys who shows up to races and says "I'm just doing this for fun," and then proceeds to drag himself around the course like a maniac. I'll try to keep my mouth shut before races, and just do what I can out there...no excuses!
So I'm still going to compete, hopefully just as hard as ever. It might not be as much of a priority as it once was, but I hope that for many years to come I can still stand on the starting line feeling as alive and excited to run as I was at age 16 or age 25. And I hope I can continue to find some fulfillment in doing the best I can on race day.
Things I'm excited about...the USATF MN Team Circuit (go TC Running Co.!), running some trails, and lots of long runs with good people...
I'm rolling along a little differently this time around, and have been taking it a day at a time, running as much as I feel like on any given day. My running has been more social than usual recently, as I have been meeting up with someone different almost every day. That makes for great variety, and has helped me get back in the groove without thinking much about it.
That said, it's already apparent, just three weeks after the Trials, that I need more than just easy running. Whether that's racing or something else, I need to find activities that challenge me physically, and engage my mind and emotions. I'd go nuts without it. We joke about running as an addiction (a mostly positive one), but seriously, I thought a 40 minute run should give me my fix. Apparently not. A few miles is better than nothing, but it still leaves me antsy and a little bit ill at ease.
So...where to go from here? I do feel that I have really explored the marathon thoroughly, and I don't have much enthusiasm for doing another one. At some point I probably will. But for now, I'm looking for enjoyable running experiences.
Part of the enjoyment of running, for me, comes from pushing myself hard and finding ways of dealing with difficulty and adversity. It's an odd juxtaposition. I feel like I'm in danger of becoming one of those guys who shows up to races and says "I'm just doing this for fun," and then proceeds to drag himself around the course like a maniac. I'll try to keep my mouth shut before races, and just do what I can out there...no excuses!
So I'm still going to compete, hopefully just as hard as ever. It might not be as much of a priority as it once was, but I hope that for many years to come I can still stand on the starting line feeling as alive and excited to run as I was at age 16 or age 25. And I hope I can continue to find some fulfillment in doing the best I can on race day.
Things I'm excited about...the USATF MN Team Circuit (go TC Running Co.!), running some trails, and lots of long runs with good people...
Rock on Lundo! You continue to inspire me.
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