Count me in!

Today's Mileage: 10.1 hilly miles

Well, I am going to say that I am definitely out of whatever running slump I was in! What factors contributed to that slump? I don't know, but there are numerous possibilities. One could be that I was just plain sad to be back from the greatest trip ever with the greatest husband ever. Another could be that I hadn't run in 3 weeks and I enjoyed every minute of it. And finally, I just had no motivation- like I think I mentioned in my last blog.

So what caused me to get out of the slump? Well, again, there are a ton of answers, but a few stick out. I realized, during my lazy week home after the honeymoon, that I was sitting around all day feeling tired and lazy because I was not physically exerting myself. Then, last weekend, I ran in the Petit Family 5K in Plainville and did really well (16/64 in my division and 300/1298 overall), so maybe a little race like that was the motivation I needed to get my ass in gear. I began going to the gym last week and doing weights to get my arms and core in better shape and although I've only gone a couple times, I think it is already helping my running. I feel stronger and feel like I have more energy during my runs. I don't finish completely drained and my running posture has improved.

I think this is the push I needed and I feel great. My goal is 30 miles this week, but I still have four more days to run, so hopefully I'll beat my goal.

Happy Running!

A Runner's Slump

There is no question about it. . . I am in a serious running slump. I completely enjoyed the two weeks I had off while AJ and I were on our honeymoon, but since then, I have had little or no motivation to run. I guess I can attribute it partially to the fact that I truly enjoyed not running or thinking about it (ok, I thought about it a couple times) while I was on our honeymoon and now that I am back I know how far behind in my training I am. I know that last year at this time, I was in great shape and had an awesome 15 miler with my dad. It was at that time the longest run I'd had and it was awesome. And here I am, struggling with 5 miles. I know that I need to get my ass in gear and I need to go to the gym to get weights in my routine to work on my core, but maybe I know that once school starts again, the training I have put in will fall to the wayside because of everything else I do. I find myself making up excuses for why I am not running, when I know deep down that I have no valid excuse because there is no excuse for not running when I know I can. It is rather frustrating and it is quite the conflict that is going on in my head. I need to set goals for myself and I need to thoroughly think these goals through and write them down so that I know I have no excuse as to why I am not progressing towards accomplishing them. I need to realize I am not on my honeymoon anymore and there are no excuses. It is frustrating because I want to run, but at the same time, I don't want to run. Right now, I am falling behind in my training and I am slacking, and I guess I feel like at this point, what is another day of slacking? But this will be my last day. . . after today, there are no excuses.