Thursday, August 19, 2010

What Was I Thinking?

I've not exactly been neglecting my training, but I haven't been totally diligent about it, either. The past few weekends have seen me working hard on some house DIY projects, and my typical Saturday habit of run~eat~sleep is not a big help in getting a bedroom finished. And while I've been doing a few knee exercises here and there, I find I'm surprisingly forgetful in sticking to the "every other day" rule.

So it's not surprising that I'm plodding on a bit of a plateau, and, with no particular progress to report, a blog posting has not come easily to mind.

Today, however, in the middle of my regular lunchtime fitness class, I found myself firmly at the back of a very mixed pack and wondering what the heck I was thinking in signing up for a marathon? I'm feeling sluggish and all my workout gear is tight. My soul mate and running buddy has switched to biking and swimming to relieve his own cantankerous knees. Recently, my "long" runs have been just 7 miles. I need to pull another 19 out of somewhere and I honestly don't know if I have it in me. Would it be so terrible just to give up quietly and settle for running in 10k events?

How do you decide when a goal is just not within your reach? Do you keep plugging away, or give up gracefully?

Image thanks: Runnerdecals.com

4 comments:

  1. I've been wondering about you lately... You don't seem to have the old vigor you had prior to Napa. I say, do what makes you happy. If running isn't fun anymore- why keep torturing yourself? But, I personally think you do have it on you and that all you need something to re-inspire you. :)

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  2. You know they is no disgrace in backing out gracefully, if your heart isn't in it, it will be torture. Take it from a retired runner :)

    I walk and weight train now, rather than running and weight training and even though it really P.O.'d me for a while not running, it was the smart thing to do.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog, it is great to meet another expat.

    My Daughter actually lives in S.F.

    Have a lovely week, am following you now too! T. :)

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  3. I can only focus on a few things at a time, myself. I could work and run marathons, but not do housework. I can read, blog and run, but not sew. I can do nesting around the house (more fun than 'housework' and blog and sew, but not run... The older I get the more I realise it's no longer time vs. money, but time vs money vs energy. It's a fact of life, I'm afraid; my life, anyhow. I'm trying to think of a cycle of focus I can stick on a calendar. I still want to have it 'all', but maybe not at the same time!

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  4. Thanks, you guys. I think I probably have a few miles left in me yet.
    Shelley, I love your point, about only really being able to do 2-3 thing which require real focus. I think that's probably where I'm at. I love how my bedroom looks now, but I had to put running on the back-burner to achieve it.

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