what to do after the A race is over?
It's been three weeks since Chicago and here's my rigorous off season schedule:
Week One
party (sweat)pants time
No running
Yes to eating all the foods, most absent were veggies, most present were french fries, Merlot, cheese, Pad Thai...
Boozy, lazy Owen-birthday trip to Portland
Week Two
run to fight post race depression - get sick instead
Sunday - off
Monday - ran :40 minutes
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - anger run (therapeutic music-fueled too fast 5 miler)
Thursday - short jog and crazy TRX class with JJ after work.
Friday through most of week three - sick. Not surprisingly.
Week Three
directionless jogging followed by a 6k race + mountain run
Tuesday - 30 minutes
Wednesday - 40 minutes
Thursday - 30 minutes
Friday - off
Saturday - off
Sunday - Race Cross Country and run up Mount Si
In short I went from a year of regimented training to complete laisse faire living, punctuated by attempts to get myself back together.
This post-race was a completely different feeling from after Vermont City Marathon. Because VCM wasn't my A race. It was "a" race. Chicago was the big one, it was IT. I put it all in. I started training for it in a rage 2 weeks after VCM. And didn't think about what to do after Chicago. There was no after.
But there is of course an after. But instead of wanting to find my next race, or even lace up my shoes…I found myself drifting. More than drifting, I was/am burned out. I buried my head in the sand for a week, and then resurfaced to deal with the emotions of not hitting my goal. Got down on myself for being disappointed and bitter. Meh, you know the drill. First world middle pack runner problems.
So when Kristin mentioned that we were one girl short of a scoring team of 5 for the PNTF open association championships this Sunday I jumped on it. This falls under the part of my running plan called 'fake it til you make it back'. And under my life plan of 'say yes before you think it through'. And I knew it would be the jolt I needed to get my head out of my arse.
After a few weeks of plodding around it took one XC meet to I remind me of something I could do that was a lot better than Merlot fueled TV marathons: running for fun. I had a run free card! Now that my legs were sort of recovered, I can run, or not run, or race. I can sign up for a Barre class, finally. Run up a mountain for the hell of it and refuel with Burger King! I can be the laisse faire runner extrodinaire!
Racing with our scrappy little team on Sunday was so much fun. I forgot the free feeling of XC. Who cares about time? Just focus on not tripping, making a move before a tight corner, putting a target on a back and suddenly 6k of hills are over and you're gunning for the finish! And when you think about quitting ever, all you have to remember is the other 4 girls out there running as fast as they can. Ahh best!
I don't have a next marathon and I'm still a little burned out for sure. So I'm putting the emphasis on funning, not running. I'll get in shape for XC Club Nationals in Bend along the way, and I'm going to have a lot of fun doing it.
Week One
party (sweat)pants time
No running
Yes to eating all the foods, most absent were veggies, most present were french fries, Merlot, cheese, Pad Thai...
Boozy, lazy Owen-birthday trip to Portland
 |
| let amtrak be your driver, ahhh. |
 |
| beignets are part of a balanced breakfast |
Week Two
run to fight post race depression - get sick instead
Sunday - off
Monday - ran :40 minutes
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - anger run (therapeutic music-fueled too fast 5 miler)
Thursday - short jog and crazy TRX class with JJ after work.
Friday through most of week three - sick. Not surprisingly.
 |
| You want me to do what?! |
 |
| Laaaast pushup. Nevermind. |
Week Three
directionless jogging followed by a 6k race + mountain run
Tuesday - 30 minutes
Wednesday - 40 minutes
Thursday - 30 minutes
Friday - off
Saturday - off
Sunday - Race Cross Country and run up Mount Si
In short I went from a year of regimented training to complete laisse faire living, punctuated by attempts to get myself back together.
This post-race was a completely different feeling from after Vermont City Marathon. Because VCM wasn't my A race. It was "a" race. Chicago was the big one, it was IT. I put it all in. I started training for it in a rage 2 weeks after VCM. And didn't think about what to do after Chicago. There was no after.
But there is of course an after. But instead of wanting to find my next race, or even lace up my shoes…I found myself drifting. More than drifting, I was/am burned out. I buried my head in the sand for a week, and then resurfaced to deal with the emotions of not hitting my goal. Got down on myself for being disappointed and bitter. Meh, you know the drill. First world middle pack runner problems.
So when Kristin mentioned that we were one girl short of a scoring team of 5 for the PNTF open association championships this Sunday I jumped on it. This falls under the part of my running plan called 'fake it til you make it back'. And under my life plan of 'say yes before you think it through'. And I knew it would be the jolt I needed to get my head out of my arse.
After a few weeks of plodding around it took one XC meet to I remind me of something I could do that was a lot better than Merlot fueled TV marathons: running for fun. I had a run free card! Now that my legs were sort of recovered, I can run, or not run, or race. I can sign up for a Barre class, finally. Run up a mountain for the hell of it and refuel with Burger King! I can be the laisse faire runner extrodinaire!
 |
| Oiselle was 3rd place at PNTF open association championships. yesss! |
Racing with our scrappy little team on Sunday was so much fun. I forgot the free feeling of XC. Who cares about time? Just focus on not tripping, making a move before a tight corner, putting a target on a back and suddenly 6k of hills are over and you're gunning for the finish! And when you think about quitting ever, all you have to remember is the other 4 girls out there running as fast as they can. Ahh best!
I don't have a next marathon and I'm still a little burned out for sure. So I'm putting the emphasis on funning, not running. I'll get in shape for XC Club Nationals in Bend along the way, and I'm going to have a lot of fun doing it.