If you have been a reader here for any stretch of time, you know that I love to run races.
What you may not know though is that the amount of races I head to the starting line for has been significantly greater since I became a mom. As a matter of fact, in July I will be lacing up my Sauconys to run my 30th half marathon...28 of which were within the last 4 years...along with countless 5ks, 10ks, and 10 milers...oh yes and one epic relay!! I can't for certain put my finger on what happened after our chickie turned 1 that spurred my love of races...maybe I was just looking for some me time or maybe it was the full year off I took from running....either way the bug bit hard!
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| First race back! |
Racing for me is two-fold. I would be lying if I said I didn't love the preparation and excitement working hard to hit my paces and runs. I've always been an athlete and training for me is fun. The other side of racing to me is social. I love running with friends...seeing friends at the races...talking with others about races coming up or ones we have run...meeting new people...helping others cross finish lines. As much as I love the adrenaline of pinning on the bib...lining up at the start...and the excitement of the start, I do love the fun I have with others at races.
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| My partner in crime....especially LOVE racing with my BRF! |
Lately, however, life is being pulled in many directions...work, kids, hubby's job, family...and my focus has needed to change to reflect that. I know that many people train for and do just amazing things with far more on their plate but for me I have been getting to the end of days with either an empty light on for me or my husband.
It is hard for me even to write but what if I took a vacation from racing? A break from the mental "I have to...." of training and a shift to address a few other things right now. Keeping the races I have planned on the calendar but not adding more....it honestly is hard for me to talk about this but I feel that it is the right thing to do for my family. Please make no mistake...I will still be lacing up my Sauconys and hitting the road but perhaps the challenge of the race is something I need to push to the side for a bit. Races will always be there but my family needs my focus right now. I do feel like a piece of who I am is getting put on the shelf...but I know in the end it will be worth it.
Have you ever sacrificed something big for those even bigger?
I had put running on hold back in 2012 after a few blisters and me realizing my body just wasn't ready to do anything longer than a 10 K. The hardest part was convincing myself to give it up completely when the dr told me I had a sprained ankle and I shouldn't be "running" anymore. I've put on 40 pounds since I've stopped running.
ReplyDeleteI get it, Nancy... my running is always there but I will race more or less depending on what is going on. Do what you need to do!
ReplyDeletei have had to cut back to one or two runs a month instead of every weekend due to financial reasons. when i made the decision i was convinced i wouldnt run ever, the booking of a race in my mind meant that i would train for that race during the week. But i think what i have found is: 1) i dont beat myself up if i dont run every day 2) i run faster because my legs recover 3) have a a bit of a social life and can see friends and family on my off weekends. if you are choosing to lay off the running for bigger things like your family and friends i think you will be all the better for it. X
ReplyDeleteWe have so many kid's activities, sports obligations with 2 high schoolers and 1 middle schooler that it gets reaaaaallly crazy on the weekends. I still try to schedule the races I can . . . . I like my kids to see the sports/fitness/competition thing can be with them for a lifetime . . . . my husband will often make them wake up early to come cheer, reminding them that their mother does it for them :-)
ReplyDeleteI've had years that I ran a race every month. This year, I have 4. All year. I think I like it better this way. :)
ReplyDeleteLuckily, I don't have trouble staying motivated to run when I don't have a race coming up.
Taking some time to step back and evaluate is never a bad thing in my book. Take a little time off and get where you need to be mentally!
ReplyDeleteI totally understand. It is often hard to balance racing, training and family plus other things in life. I tend to try to stick to one race a month and that works for me. Just do what feels right to you.
ReplyDeleteI really needed a mental break from running and training after NYC Marathon last year. So I barely run all winter. Now I'm excited to get back into training for something, since I really haven't been doing much of anything without having a set goal to motivate me. It's totally okay to take a break if you need one!
ReplyDeleteDone it and with no regret. Knowing when racing has to take a back seat or at least share the front is a good thing. Especially with family.
ReplyDeletei'm in this boat now...laying low on races- cape cod was the last one i've had and will continue to be last one (i think) until August. At first it can be refreshing to just do runs on your own time with out a direction, BUT speaking from experience, if you go too long its hard to stay motivated. Sounds like you'll at least have some to look forward to, just scaled down to be a smaller #
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