Half-Marathon Training: Week of December 21st

Half-Marathon Training Update: Sunday, December 21st

It's Christmas week and it's been a slow start. Yesterday, Sunday, December 21st, I didn't do anything other than go Christmas shopping. I had time to run. But I didn't. It's Christmas week and I'm off on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Hopefully on Saturday and Sunday too but work is picking up. In fact, today we started to get ballot proofs coming in for the March Primary so works about to get insane!

Reflecting on this Past Week

Well - Monday, Dec. 22nd and Tuesday, Dec. 23rd were tough. I didn't run or do anything. Wednesday and Thursday were no better even though I was off work. there was so much to do to get ready for the family to come over, etc. On Christmas Day, I weighed myself and I was at 206 lbs.!! My all time heaviest. I've been on Mars Men for a couple of weeks now and I'm not seeing any increase in energy, drive, or anything else. They say to give it 90 days. So far, not impressed, but I'm willing to give it 90 days. 

Friday, Dec. 26th, I did attempt to run 4 miles. It turned into a run/walk for 3.2 miles. My calves were tight. My shins hurt. My Breathing was like I had smoked four packs of cigarettes per day for all my life. It was just awful, but I stuck to it rather than turn around at the half-mile mark like I wanted to. I did turn around before the two mile mark though. My feet were really hurting. 

I'm seriously considering just eating the entry fee and skipping the half-marathon in January. I'm feeling like I'm too heavy, too slow, and just COMPLETELY unprepared for 13.1 miles with less than a month to go. 

I was talking with family on Christmas Eve and telling them how I ran the marathon in March and since then I've just had ZERO motivation to run. It's like my brain and body said "OK. You achieved your lifelong dream of running a marathon. You don't have to run ever again." I know that sounds crazy. At least, it does to me. But that's seriously what it feels like. 

I've done some research and apparently it is a thing. It's called the Post-Event Blues or sometimes the "Post-Goal Letdown". Basically, my body and brain have said, "Yep, we did it. Mission Accomplished. Now we can rest and chill into the sunset."

So my work now is trying to figure out whether I accept that and just embrace coaching, hiking, and other activities, or if I try to put some new spin on running to re-invigorate me.