Lately my training has been in a funk. I am having trouble finding the motivation to get out in the cold, but even this past week with warm weather, I failed to get in good training. I chose to spend most of last weekend with my family instead of leaving for an hour for a bike ride or run. I don’t regret that decision, but I need to balance both. Since the marathon, I have been in a funk and am ready to get out of it. Melissa and I are going to run together on Saturday, and we are planning 5 miles. Hopefully that will jump start me back into my regular training going forward. Anyone have suggestions to keep motivated?
I’ve been sorta the same way. I read somewhere that after a marathon many people fall into a sort of “depression” that it’s over. I’m hoping that, with half marathon training officially going on as of this week, that it will give me the motivation to get out there and do it even if I don’t feel like it. Get back into the routine. With marathon training, I eventually got to a point where I didn’t think about whether I “wanted” to run or not. It was just part of the day. Kinda like how you don’t think about whether you “want” to brush your teeth or not – it’s just something you do.
For me it’s been hard to recognize that this half marathon is as big of a deal as last year’s marathon or half marathon. I feel like there’s no way to replace that amazingness of last year. That combined with the cold ickyness outside and it threatens to bring down my training all together. And I was on deadline during the nice days – drove me crazy not to be outside! I did get out for an interval run on Tuesday and my only regret was that it wasn’t a longer one – it was so beautiful out.
Hardest part is from the bed to the door. I’ll run with you anytime – even at 5 a.m. if we have to – just to make sure we don’t neglect this awesome lifestyle!
Thanks for the help Melissa! I am looking forward to our run tomorrow and hopefully the weather will work with us and we can get out on the bikes!
Hi Kevin – I hit a post marathon funk about 2-3 weeks after the marathon (usually have to calm myself down a bit the first few weeks afterwards to avoid going back to hard and injuring something) and it typically lasts from 1-4 weeks. During this time I find focusing on cross-training (e.g. Yoga for me these days) helps. What typically gets me out of the funk is the other funk I find myself in from not giving myself a good exercise outlet. I can get crazy cranky with a lack of running and my wife typically pushes me out the door with shoes in hand at the first sign. Don’t sweat it – I think it is normal to spend a few weeks getting your legs/body back to normal after a big event…Hope you are well.
Of course, all said, tying my miles to charity (http://suttonscoop.wordpress.com/2009/12/31/running-with-purpose/) is giving me an extra kick in the pants on the tough days to get out and run.
Just think of me and that I can’t run, and run in my place
DO it for those who can’t!
Here are some inspiring quotes:
“If you run, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter how fast or how far. It doesn’t matter if today is your first day or if you’ve been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.”
–John Bingham
“Running is not, as it so often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week. It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too.”
–Richard O’Brien
Dr. George Sheehan:
“It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.”
Thanks for the help, Jason and Crystal!