Back with a New Plan

Today’s Workout: 4 Miles, Easy

Hi friends! Did you miss me?

I realize it’s been almost a month since I posted. This is partly due to the fact that the last few weeks of the summer were crazy, and partly because I didn’t want to write on my running blog when I was injured. I’m laying it all out there for ya.

Let’s start with said crazy weeks of summer shall we? My recent life, in photos.

It was my birthday! I rang in the big 2-4 with lots of good friends and family.

And beer.

Keith and I went to Portland over Labor Day! The weather was perfect, and all the fall beer was back on the shelves.

We went to a brew fest and imbibed with the locals.

Last beach day of the summer at Crescent Beach in Portland.

Absolutely perfect day.

Keith and I ran in Portland around one of their beautiful bays,
decked out in our new Nike gear straight
from the glorious Maine outlets.

While we were in Portland, we were asked to volunteer at the
Sea Dogs game for the "lobster toss"
We lost. But be jealous.

Great summery dinner – homemade Mussels picked from Maine’s waters two days before, salad, and Rose wine. Please and thank you.

I went home this past weekend for a bridal shower, and my family’s scrumptious cat Morgan curled up with me as soon as the lights went out. We did some catching up on Project Runway together.

Do you feel like you’re all caught up? Great!

I don’t want to go into detail about my knee injury – I’d rather not put you to sleep, and it won’t help me heal any faster if I talk about it. But basically, I had to readjust my aggressive training plan I set out to do. I had lofty goals of lots of long runs and intense speedwork sessions, but with my minor setback, I had to readjust.

Confession:  I am not at all bummed about this.

I started off the marathon training program feeling pretty tired, and I often dreaded my runs. I don’t think I took enough time off between the half marathon and marathon, and I felt burned out.

Once I was injured, however, and I couldn’t use running to meditate/de-stress/listen to Harry Potter audio books, I was dying to get back on the road. There’s a lesson in all setbacks I suppose.

Once I was back to healthy, I took a page out of last year’s marathon plan, and ran with it. I’m going to gradually build up my mileage and long run distances, but it is by no means close to what I had methodically planned out.

Eight weeks ago, I was all “Sub 4:00 Marathon!” “Two 20 Milers, at the least!” “5-day weeks! I need ‘em!”

Now I’m more, “I love running!” “I just want to finish Philly!” “This feels like last year’s gleeful training!”

So that’s where we’re at.

I’m not trying to break any records at Philly, I just want to finish with a smile on my face. Do I hope that I will beat my time from last year? Sure.  Will I cry if I don’t? Nope. In the time I took off to rehabilitate, running and I became BFFs again instead of frenemies. And it feels like training should feel – fun and rewarding.