Remember the other day when I said I signed up for the Rehoboth Marathon?
What the hell was I thinking?
I trained for months for Marine Corps. I was all in both physically and mentally. I was able to carve out some time for it because it was so important to me and was such a big goal for this year.
Rehoboth, I signed up for on a whim.
It would be fun!
I could totally do it!
I’m sure I probably could. I trained hard for four months, and if I really wanted to, I could train for another few weeks and eke it out.
When Laura first brought up the idea of the race, she said she’d pace me to my sub-4 if I wanted. It sounded so tempting, to be able to wrap up 2012 as a 3:xx-marathoner.
But I wouldn’t feel ready unless I put my all into these next few weeks of training, and I’m just not ready for that right now, so I thought maybe I’d just run the marathon “for fun.”
No, really. Marathons can be fun.
But now’s just not the time. I don’t need to prove to myself or anyone else right now that I can run a second marathon this year or that I can break 4 this year. I know I can do both of these things, but work is crazy right now, and I’d really love to be able to spend more of my not-at-work time relaxing a bit more. The last thing I need right now is to create unnecessary stress for myself by doing another marathon. Plus, my knee has been kind of stiff, so I took this week off from running to baby it, so I didn’t think a big fat goose egg of a training week would help.
So I’m probably going to drop down to the half, because it still sounds like a fun race. And as Emily reminded me, running the half means more time for beer after.
Have you run multiple marathons in one season? How’d you feel doing them? How hard did you train in between?
Ever dropped down in a race? (Or, the opposite! Have you ever spontaneously decided to jump up in a race instead?)
EDITED TO ADD! Congrats to my girl Leticia for finishing her first marathon in Richmond yesterday!!!! Big congrats also go out to all the other #TeamRichmond ladies who traveled down there yesterday to show them what New Yorkers are made of.
You know yourself better than anyone else. Do what feels right to you.
I LOVE the HM distance! It is manageable yet still a fantastic accomplishment. The idea that is is JUST a half is completely ridiculous. You will do so well because you are overprepared!
I once did 2 marathons about 6 weeks apart. I didn’t train for either of them… so I can’t really give advice!
I dropped down from a full to a half in 2011…I was having ankle issues and it would have been my first marathon so I didn’t think it was great to go in with an injury. I think that is great that you are still going to run the half!
I think its great you didnt give up fully and are still planning on running the half!
You have to do what feels right. I fully supported your decision to run a marathon again but I also fully support your decision not to. I actually considered dropping down to the 8K in Richmond (a few weeks ago when I wasn’t confident in my training) and although I didn’t end up doing that, it’s always great to have that option.
i had originally signed up to run the disney world full marathon this january but then found out that i needed to have knee surgery. luckily, i was able to drop down to the half and i’m already running and on track to run a solid 13.1 miles in january 🙂
less stress for the win.
I love that it’s just not necessary for you!! Great phrase. Totally agree. I did one marathon and decided more were also not necessary for me. Half marathons, totally necessary. And yes…more time for beer/cake/wine afterwards. Good decision.
I love that you’re putting your mental health before your need to wear the sub-4 badge. Good for you! There will be time to run another (and faster!) marathon, but right now, it’s time to have fun with running (and in life) and not to stress!
Rehoboth is going to be super fun no matter what distance you do…
…but…
We’ll talk when it gets closer. And that is not to stress you out at ALL. Honestly, since you did so well at Marine Corps, taking a few weeks off is not really going to hurt you. A full might still be a real possibility, but DO NOT STRESS OVER IT IN THE MEANTIME.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Whatever you decide, I will be counting down the seconds until we FINALLY can drink a finish line beer together.
Doing a half is a great idea, you’re barely even need to train for it.
I ran a half yesterday and I was feeling SO good I honestly contemplated jumping onto the full course when it split at mile 10.
I dropped out of my first marathon because I got hit by a motorcycle five days before the race. Thankfully the crash wasn’t bad, but I had a lot of bruising and just didn’t feel right.
Fortunately three months later another friend dropped out of a race because she had become pregnant and didn’t want to run – so I took her place!
Congrats on finishing another marathon!!!
I dropped to the half at Wineglass after I had what I thought was a stress fracture in July (and the race was in Sept). I set a pretty big PR (1:49) and went on to run the Hartford marathon a month later. NBD – although at the time it felt like it was because I had told everyone I was running it. Turns out no one cared but me 🙂
you will LOVE the rehoboth beach race – i’ve heard AMAZING things about it and i really had hoped to run it this year because a flat, fast course? Beach side? Down the road from the Dogfish Head brewpub which is only one of the best places ever… no contest.
Enjoy it 🙂 Don’t stress and don’t ever feel bad about dropping down to a shorter race 🙂 🙂 🙂