I have been especially frustrated with the cold weather lately, so this morning I decided to change things up and run on the treadmill at the gym.
It was boring, monotonous, and difficult at times, but I made it and I wasn’t cold.
Distance: 8 miles
Time: 1:07
Incline: 0.5%
Weather: NOT freezing cold 🙂 ; outside: 6 degrees (yuck!)
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After work today, I ran another 3 miles outside. I was tired, so I took it slow.
I have to admit I’ve been feeling a little fatigued this week. My goal is to run 54 miles this week, and you might be thinking, “What are you training for?” Well, the answer to that would be: “nothing.”
So, why, you ask, are you running so many miles then? Well, that is a good question and one I don’t know the answer to myself. Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe I’ve been smoking something. (Just kidding, Mom!)
I guess I have this weird obsession with trying to run and train as much as I can. Maybe I want to get it all out of my system before I start having kids or maybe I still like to pretend I’m in college—training for cross country and track. Whatever the reason, I love the challenge of seeing how much I can run and how far I can push myself. And if that means pretending to train for something, when in reality training for nothing, I guess that’s what it will be.
Okay, so that’s not the entire truth. I know I will be running races this summer, I just haven’t signed up for anything yet. Mostly because I don’t know what I’ll be doing this summer—except not working. 😀
I would love to run Grandma’s Marathon again, but I don’t know if I will be in Minnesota during that time. I am not that keen about running Mayor’s Midnight Sun Marathon or the Big Wild Life Marathon (the two big races in Anchorage) because you are pretty much running 26.2 miles by yourself, out in the middle of no where, without anyone around to cheer for you, and frankly that does not excite me. Now of course this is my opinion. Many people are probably drawn to the thought of running a “midnight sun” marathon (which is not done at midnight in case you were wondering), in Alaska’s wildness, but I guess I’m just over it.
So whatever happens, I’ll continue training for “nothing” knowing that eventually I’ll be ready for something when the opportunity presents itself. 🙂
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Question
What race are you training for?
If you are not a runner, do you think I’m crazy? (Actually, I take that back, please don’t answer that because I like living in my crazy little world.)
I don’t think you’re crazy at all! I have the same problem, I just love to push myself! You are a much better runner than me, but I wake up at the crack of dawn and run 6 miles and lift for an hour..I do it for myself and that’s what you are doing too! The only thing is it seems like you are getting tired..take a day off! I took off yesterday and it took everything in me just to relax..but I woke up bright and early this morning ready to run! I felt great..I guess what I’m saying is don’t push too hard!
I only do half marathons, I’m signed up for 2 5k’s, one ten miler in May, a half in May and a triathalon in the summer…(all in Pennsylvania..)
Keep up the hard work! You inspire me!! 🙂
i’m impressed! all that training, though for “nothing,” is for something: your endurance, your happiness, your satisfaction with running! and… when you do sign up for a race, you’ve already started training so you can be flexible with what presents itself. 🙂
i’m currently training for the cleveland marathon in mid may, but am doing a local half in early april as part of my training. i do hope to PR in the half though! we’ll see, it’ll just depend how my legs are feeling, because i’m not going to do any taper for the half- just maybe a little rest the day before the race…but i’m not sure yet. 🙂
I do realize that I’m getting other benefits from all this training. I just know a lot of people have to have “something” to train for, so I feel a little crazy not having anything to train for.
You are not crazy, just passionate! I can relate to training without a particular race in mind. I just love running so much! I keep my long runs maxed out at 13-14 miles so I don’t push myself too hard and to ward off an overuse injury. I also just want to maintain my 1/2 marathon base because I’m pretty sure I want to run a marathon in the spring or fall (the scheduling depends on potential vacation plans) and it will be so much easier to build up the mileage that way. I only run 4 days a week and cross-train by snowshoeing, so I never get burnt out of running.
I definitely do like have a good, solid base, so that once I do start training for something, I avoid getting injured.
I’m training for a half marathon in May…my training just started and I’m excited 🙂 It will be my second half (but my first was a major nightmare due to extreme weather and me just not being as prepared as I should have been) so I like to think of this as my first “real” half marathon 😉
54 miles is a little crazy when you’re not training, but hey, if you can do it and enjoy it, go for it!
Good luck with the half-marathon. . . I’ll be cheering for you virtually!
I am completely in your boat!!!! I run/ practice yoga 5-6 days a week just so that I can physically run a race at the drop of a hat if the opportunity presents itself. But as of now there is NOTHING on my race calendar.. In a way its kind of exciting to train for the unknown future. The way I see it, its never a bad thing to have strong physical endurance.
Awesome run. 8 miles in 1:07. I wish I lived near you- I used to be able to run that pace everyday and want to get back to it 😉
Yeah!! I’m glad I’m not the only one out there!!
How about I come live near you instead. 😉
I don’t think you’re crazy – I think that is awesome you can stay so motivated without a race to train for.
Thanks!
I agree, good job staying so motivated without an upcoming race. This is a big problem of mine. Luckily I am perpetually training for something, so I haven’t had to fully deal with this little problem…yet!
I’m not training for anything in particular right now, because health and happiness :D.
*besides…
That’s bad ass. I’m in week seven of marathon training and I think I’m running thirty miles this week, tops. Then again, I’m trying to take it really easy–for better or worse. It’s cool that you can push yourself without that end goal in mind. If it makes you happy, do it!!
I think that when I say I am “training” for something it is FOR ME to keep the motivation to keep running and pushing myself. If you do not have a race signed up but are just pushing yourself… than that is even MORE BADASS!!!
“)
Great job!! I’m up to about 23 miles per week in week 7/12 of training for my third half marathon. I was pretty excited by that number as I haven’t come near that mileage since a couple weeks before my September half. While I am no where near your mileage, I definitely “get” the excitement of pushing yourself and hitting personal goals for mileage.
I’ve got a half marathon on April 3rd.
I’m looking at a local 10k on May 7, a 5k on May 29…and I’d love to do a glow-in-the-dark midnight 8.4 miles around the river in Philly on July 16 if I found someone to run it with me!
That’s all I’ve looked at so far… with hubs finishing grad school sometime this fall, I have no idea where we’ll end up and whether I can commit to any fall races here.
I’m currently training for a race-still-to-be-determined where I will beat my 1/2 marathon PR! It’s gonna be tough because I’m not good at pushing the pace!
You can do it! I’ll be cheering for you virtually!