These past couple weeks have been very frustrating for me. Even though I ran two successful races this month, my training is really starting to suffer. I'm not injured, I'm not sick, I'm not tired - I'm just lazy.
Maybe it is something about this month, because it's not just running. I've been terribly unproductive at work. I skip meetings and procrastinate volunteer homework until the point of almost forgetting it entirely. I leave for El Salvador in less than three days, and there have been a bunch of errands that keep popping up. I've been eating crappy take out instead of grocery shopping and cooking meals. And I just can't find it in me to run. I can't get up early, and after work I'm just too drained to go. Usually it's not hard for me to make myself go for a run after work (even in the winter), in fact, I often look forward to it. But lately, for whatever reason, I just can't go. I've been useless and it's so frustrating.
It also worries me because I'm about to take 10 days off from running. When I get back, I'll only have 20 days to get fit for a 9 mile race, and two months to get in peak shape for my first half-marathon. Slacking off this week when I'm about to leave for 10 days isn't going to make THAT much of a difference, but it sure isn't helping, either. What to do?!
A bunch of worried questions keep pinging around in my mind: How far behind will I get? Will I come back and be almost able to pick up right where I left off, or will I struggle to get through a moderately-pace four miles? Will I have enough time to get in peak shape for my May 3rd half?
I've heard various things about how long you can go without running and still maintain your fitness level. Some say as long as two weeks, others say as short as 5 days. Obviously, it depends on the individual, and I can't really know how it will affect me until I get back. And how does the work I'll be doing in El Salvador factor in? I may not be running, but we are going to be doing physical labor all week.
I can't really do anything differently here. This trip is important, and running has to take a back seat for a while to make room for it. So, what matters is what I do once I get back.
Starting March 3rd, running needs to become one of my top priorities again. I really need to get it into my head that these big races are no longer really far off: they are coming up very soon. This is the time when my training needs to kick into high gear and I need to take it seriously. Skipping runs is going to become more and more dangerous from now on. I need to start carving out more time in my days for training. I also need to start challenging myself a little bit more so that I'm actually growing and getting faster.
I need to devise a training schedule for March-April, and stick to it. I haven't been using a schedule for most of my training - I just make sure to do at least two runs during the week, maybe some strength training, and one long run. It's worked okay so far, but I can't help but think that on weeks like this, a schedule might have helped keep me on track. I've found that making schedules and to-do lists really helps me focus and get things under control. I'm more likely to do something if I've simply written it down and planned it into my day.
That schedule needs to include long runs on the weekends, like usual, but I need to beef up my runs during the week. I need to do three runs instead of two, or two runs and strength training, or two runs and XT, or even three runs and strength training. Working out three times a week isn't acceptable for someone who is about to take on some serious distance races.
I'm hoping the slowly-improving weather will help. March isn't exactly known for its lovely weather, but things will start getting better. Yesterday, for example, it's 45 degrees and sunny outside! Gorgeous weather likes that makes me ache to go running!
So, starting in March you will see me enter a new phase of my running. Well, maybe not that new. I'll just be running a lot more :-)
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