The trip home was exhausting. Got up at 3:30 Fri morning to catch my flight. After I finally got into cleve (after a layover in DC) I had to go get a new license (mine got stolen in GA...havent had one for 8 months). Then I drove to Toledo (almost 2 hrs) to go to my best friends goodbye party for her work. Finally got to bed around 1 (yes thats almost 24 hrs) and had to get up early to drive BACK to Cleveladn to go to the expo and pick up my race packet. After that, my parents had a party since it was the first time home in about a year. Good times...got to see family and friends and overall it was great.
The half marathon. Not good. I have learned that I am not immortal. I apologize for anyone I disappoint. Apparently two half marathons, a full marathon, a 5k, and a 10k are just too much for me to run in only 3 months. I've learned that you HAVE to listen to your body...and give it a rest when it demands it. I've been having major IT band problems after those MONSTROSITIES (aka hills) from the full marathon in Atlanta. Did I stop and let myself recover????? NOOOOOOOOO! I was running a mere 4 days after that race. I have battled and battled the frustrations of my knees while trying to prepare for the Cleveland half. THe furtheset I got on a long run was 8 miles....sad I know. I decided to run the Cleveland half for fun and to support my friend and family (That I roped into running this a long time ago), and that is exactly what I did. I finished in 2:26...which is bad. Very bad for me personally. My first half after 5 weeks of running I finished in 2:12...the half I did during the full marathon in Atlanta I finished in 2:20...and I still had another 13.1 to go. So yes...I wasn't too excited about my time. But I realized...that it is time for a break.
When I got home my mom said she could see in my face that I was in survival mode. She said it was written all over me. School has really taken a beating on me lately...and apparently I couldn't hide it. At one point on the course I almost broke down in tears because I literally felt like there was nothing left in me. I am taking this as a big sign to slow down a bit. I plan to take 4 weeks off running to let my knees heal. In that time I want to really focus on eating healthy (somethign I have ignored while running....I shove everything in my mouth because I'm constantly ravenous from training). I also want to continue biking and swimming and power walking. But not too intense....just whatever I'm up for. I realize I'm soooooo young and really an infant when it comes to this racing and training. I have a LONG career ahead of me...and sometimes you just really have to give yourself a break if you want to get better and faster. This is what I will do.
No fear...I can't wait for the full to start training for the Disney marathon. Still planning to do a few triathlons this summer...nothing too crazy. All in all the Cleveland half marathon was cool. I liked running in my home town...running by the Browns Stadium (stupid hill!!! killed my knees)..and there were quite a few spectators despite the horrendous weather conditions (50 and pouring rain). At the end the sun was shining, I had an awesome medal, friends and family, and was completely happy to be finished. It was a good weekend....plane landed and got home at 1 am, had to take a test at 7 am, and back to the grind again. God willing I will have the strength to get through this quarter of school without being too "broken" Thanks friends for bearing with me at this harder time in my racing career.
I am lucky!
11 comments:
I'm sorry that you are having knee issues. I'm glad that you had fun with your friends and family though. Get some rest and I'm sure that you will come back stronger than ever. :-)
Awww, I'm sorry it hasn't been going well for you lately. I knew you must be stressed since you weren't posting as much and without all your normal enthusiasm! Just try to take it one day at a time. Great that you're looking forward to Disney training. It will be fun, though I'm going to try my hardest to kick your butt in the race :)
Wow.. you sure were in "overkill" mode. There are times when WE (all of us) need to remind us to slow down in life. We sometimes forget who we are and why we are doing it. We need to step aside and smell the rose for a little bit. (Me, too!) Take a nice rest and you will come out very strong. Hat off to you for terrific effort and you sure rock!!!!
aw sweetie, REST REST REST!!! you certainly have kept yourself a busy bee with all the running so early in the season. now take a break, take care of that knee, and when you get back into the swing of things, you will be stronger and faster! feel better! SMILE!
Hang on in there, recovery is as important as training, get the ITB sorted, get on top of the schoolwork and take a rest from running, it'll rest you mind as well as your body, take some of the pressure off and you'll bounce back fine
I don't think you disappointed anyone. Be proud of yourself for finishing a race that was mentally challenging. You have so much going on, a think a break is well deserved. Rest up your body and mind, when you're ready to start up again you'll know and it will once again be fun.
Good luck with the swimming, biking and school. Take care of those knees!
You've done awesome in this short time, so don't beat yourself up too much!!
Feel better!!
Don't feel bad, or disappointed in yourself at all. You are listening to your body before you have a Mariah Carey Meltdown. Totally kidding. You had fun, you saw the family, and you got a break from your mad busy schedule. I am sure the running rest well do you great! I still think your time is darn respectable :-)
The medal was pretty, then again it's my first big one. I am still wearing it while reading blogs. LMAO!
Well, you've been a trooper in all of this...but I agree, sometimes you need to just take a little time off to recooperate. Heal well, Christine.
Nice job with all that's going on. I was looking for you on the course. Not that I'd recognize you if I saw you. I thought maybe you'd have some crazy outfit on. At 1 point I saw 2 hotties with daisy dukes on with signs pointing to their butts that said "running bums" or something like that. I looked closey at their faces among other things to see if it was you.
Take some time for you.. just chill.. back off...
You are ripping yourself for a 2:20 half marathon...you've done soooo much in the past three months..
its christine time... you will regroup and you will rock your next race.
glad you had a good time and I thought everyone was great in aiding the run and stuff... hey, its our home..of course
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