Saturday, August 31, 2013

I Quit

I've had a bad August.   I've been more stressed out from work than I've ever been in my life, with a lot of really late nights, and I've just let it get the better of me.  Running hasn't happened.  I've gotten to the gym once this month...if at all.

I've taken every every excuse I could and haven't done what I had to do.  And now I'll pay the price.

The price, thus far, was my 17-minute 1.5 mile -- which was all I could manage this morning -- run through York Haven.  It was the just the third time I've run in August.  The price is going to be a lot of other bad runs as I work my back up to, that's right, 2 miles.

So, I'm not quitting now.  That happened already.  

 Now I have to start again.  It's not my 3rd or 8th or whatever attempt at comeback, it's basically a new start.  

Running was much more fun for me when I was good at it.  I mean, it was never fun in July or August, but I enjoyed being able to rip off 3+ miles without any problem.  It's going to be a frustrating climb just back up to being the middle-of-the-pack 5K runner that I was before.  I need to make that climb without big, scary races hanging over my head.

The Atlantic City Half Marathon, in October, not happening.   Well...it'll happen.  I just won't be there.  That was probably never realistic for me at the beginning of summer when I started running again, but I just didn't do what I needed to do.  I also plan, right now, to defer from the Shamrock Half in March.  That's 7 months away, and I know a lot can happen in 7 months, but if I can get myself back in 5K shape in the fall and 10K shape in the spring, then I can start thinking about half marathons and marathons again without making a fool of myself.