In my 2013 Goals – Running I announced my number one goal, running 13 races in 2013, which would be a huge increase from the one race I ran in 2012. Wow, it was an ugly injury filled year last year.
My plan looked a bit like this:
1. Jan. 19 – Charleston Half Marathon – Check
2. Jan. 26 – Charlie Post 15K – Check
3. Feb. 9 – Morris Island Lighthouse Half Marathon – ummmm……
4. Mar. 2 – Mullet Hall 10miler
5. Mar. 23 – Color Me Rad 5K
6. Apr. 6 – Cooper River Bridge Run 10K
7. Apr. 27 – Rock ‘n Roll Nashville Full Marathon
*May – Aug. Sprint Triathlon Series (Goal Number 2 – I will complete my first tri!)
8. Sept. 7 – Francis Marion Dirt Dash Half Marathon (or 12K)
9. Oct. 5 – IOP Connector Run 10K
10. Oct. 27 – Marine Corp Marathon
11. Nov. 6/7 – Festival of Lights 2 miler
12. Nov. 28 – Gobble Wobble 5K
13. Dec. 14 – Kiawah Island Half Marathon
I completed the first two and was feeling pretty great about myself. Then I was about the register for the Morris Island Half last weekend when the flu struck. I spent an entire week feeling like death, missed or modified 8 workouts (mostly missed), barely left my bed, and was generally a horrid person to be around. Today is the first day I am beginning to feel like myself again, not a 100%, but getting better!
However, I got to thinking about this half marathon and this whole running smarter thing I am supposedly doing and I decided – It is not worth it. I don’t need to push myself to run a half as I am recovering from the flu. I only need to run 13 races this year and I am sure I can find another one to replace it with. Better safe than sorry. Holy crap, did I really learn something from that last injury!?! It is a miracle alert the authorities!
So change of plan – I will not be racing this weekend, instead I will be slowly easing my way back into the life of the living which apparently requires I be awake more than 6 hours a day. (FYI- Pretty sure that was my Diet Bet trick last week. You can’t eat much when you’re only awake 6 hours a day.)
What are your workout plans this weekend?
good for you for making the right decision, abs!!!! i am certain that your poor flu-ish body will be thanking you for the extra recovery time. you’ll be back to your ole’ comebetter self in no time at all taking on the next one!!!!
)
Yes, I ran about 9 beyond slow on Saturday and was so glad I did not attempt the half. It was a struggle.
You definitely made the right decision. Pushing yourself right now could suppress your immune system make you sick again and you’d have to take even more days off from running. I’m sure you can replace the half marathon with a shorter race if you’d like to run a race sooner than later; that should be less taxing. I hope you can get back to your regular running schedule soon! My workout plans for the weekend are a short run on Saturday, a long run on Sunday, and yoga both days.
I should be back to almost normal this week which is great. I cannot wait to be a full 100% though.
I hope you have great runs and enjoy yoga.
Smart thinking lady! You did learn something! It’s amazing how the step back moments can cause us to rethink things going forward to make sure they don’t happen again. And I love the someecard about a faster person not going as far. In my 10k last week me and another guy kept bobbing back and forth ahead and behind each other. I wanted to be like, “I ran a marathon three weeks ago! How bout that buddy?!” I did not. That was probably smart on my part.
I totally agree. Whenever someone speeds past me I think, they probably aren’t running ___ miles like me, or they probably didn’t just run a half/full, etc. I rationalize it all in my head;) HA!
You’re a smart cookie Abs, I’m so glad you’re about quality not quantity
I am trying to learn my lesson. I will hope it sticks.
I’m so proud of you for listening to your body and doing whats right. Even though we make these huge goals at the beginning of the year and feel like we have to masacre them by March, there is still PLENTY of time for an added race down the road without missing your yearly goal. You’re treaing yourself properly and that is way more important.
Now eat more vitamins!
I figure if worse comes to worse and I am short one in December I can throw in a holiday 5K or something. I’ll make it.
So glad you’re not doing that half! I’m not either, just tired of racing for a few weekends. Anyway, you will find some other race to do later, heck if December comes and you haven’t done it, just go do the Pajama Run 5K or something fun around here, there are races every weekend so it’s not like you can’t just jump in when ya want to!
I’m glad you’re feeling a bit better- I was pretty worried about you earlier this week, but sounds like you’ve been taking it easy and taking good care of yourself, still wishing you a speedy recovery because I know it takes a few weeks to get back to 100%.
I am finally feeling a bit better after I was sure I was dying on Monday.
I kind of thought along the same lines as you: If worse comes to worse and December rolls along and I’m only at 12 races I’ll just find a Holiday 5k/
SMART MOVE WOMAN!! I totally agree. There is no need to push yourself for this race. Listen to your body, and it will thank you for it in the end. I have a good feeling about this year. You are gonna rock it out!
Thank you so much Krysten. I hope that if I continue to listen to my body I will keep improving.
YEP, parallel worlds right now. I just wrote about how I realized I am not in a good place to do some hardcore training right now, getting to 100% takes more effort and PATIENCE than anyone likes to admit. My goals are shifting and I’m accepting it, we have time Abby, it’s only February!
It stinks, but after having to miss multiple months last year I think I am learning more about how to listen to my body. You are right it is only Feb. Why push it and hurt ourselves?
I simultaneously cheered you and groaned. I hate that you had to make that decision but I’m so glad you listened to your body (not an easy thing to do). You are totally growing as a runner!! <3
Look at me all gettin’ smart and stuff!
Probably a wise decision. Running + sick = no fun! There are plenty of other races out there
Yes, the flu is dragging more than I though. I feel better, bu I am still super weak. Probably not good for a half marathon.
You are making the right decision! It is so hard to back off a little when we have been sick, but it’s the right thing to do!!! I feel so bad that you are still not feeling great. I thought I was over my illness from earlier this week, but woke up to a very sore throat. I think between you & I we have been sick for at least a month!
This is the worst winter. It seems like everyone is sick and that it takes weeks to get over. Yuck! I hope we both feel better soon.
Skipping the race sounds like a good idea
no need to put more stress on your body after you’ve been sick!
I am glad I decided not to do it, I would not have done well or enjoyed it.
Sounds like the right decision! It would have been harder to walk away from the race if you were already registered but good thing you weren’t. We haven’t been racing as much this year because it doesn’t work with our marathon training plan, and that’s alright by me. Sometimes your body needs a break.
We’re running 6 miles tomorrow and 11 on Sunday. Tonight’s plans changed because of Nemo, so we’re just using our bike trainer at home and doing Jillian Michaels (normally we would bike and lift at the gym, but I don’t like driving in the snow so I just want to get home, ha).
What bike trainer do you have? I have been hearing a lot about them and think it is a great cross training idea for my running. Plus I could do it while I watch TV.
So glad you’re not doing this half! Get well, get recovered, and then show the world who’s boss
I am working on the recovery now. Boss mode later:)
Get over the yuck!! I know how much you wanted to nail that half this weekend but you made the right call. hang in there.
Thanks. I need to get healthy first and then work on the running. I have a full in April to look forward to and then maybe my first sprint tri this summer.
I really do hope you get to do the full and the tri. As a triathlete myself, I can tell you that multisport is where it’s at. Sprints are how you get hooked!
Well I have a full in April and one in Oct and I was looking for something different to do in the down months May-July to switch it up a bit. Turns out my town has a 5 race sprint tri series. Think it’d be kind of cool to race against myself and try to beat my time.
Smart decision! It’s best not to push yourself and risk making things worse. That last ecard is too funny!
It’s pretty much the story of my life. I think that every time someone passes me. HA!
I do that too. If they are going faster than me I tell myself it is because I am running way more miles than they are:)