Time for a Break?

It seems to me that the most successful runners, who I know personally, have a certain ebb and flow to their training plans, which gives their bodies a break once in a while.  It has also not escaped my notice in recent months that I have been tired - not only in body, but mind and spirit as well.  All this combined had led me to entertain the need to take a break from running after I complete (hopefully!) my marathon in a week and a half.  In fact, I had really embraced the idea.  I was relishing taking some time to NOT train for anything, to NOT having a race goal, to really just running for fun and as the whim struck.  Then maybe, with any luck, I could come back smarter and stronger.

Okay, that was a couple months ago.

Then my foot got hurt.

So, I didn't run.

So, I cross-trained.

Then the foot started feeling better.

And, suddenly, I am left with this feeling that I don't really want to take a break anymore.  Maybe it was the fact that I got a small break there with the foot injury.  Maybe you don't really know what you have until it's gone. Maybe it was the blog I read this morning that outlined all these kick-ass trail races lined up like ducks in a row on the blogger's race plan.  Suddenly, though, I don't want to take a break. Rather, I want to start looking for races to do.

So, where does this leave me?  Obviously, the whims of a runner - at least this average runner - can peak and wane at a moment's notice, and to be honest I am not sure if I should follow this peak to see where it leads or stick with the original plan and take some time to really consider where I want things to go for me in the next year.  Try to go longer? Try to go faster? Or just run for fun?  No right answer; no wrong answer.  Time to think.

In the meantime, I did decide that I didn't want to completely bail on the Fox Cities Marathon this year....my "hometown" race.  I have done the marathon once and the half marathon a number of times. With it being two weeks post-Moose Mountain, though, I never did sign up for an event this year, thinking I would wait and see how I felt.  But races wait for no man, or woman, and I was surprised when both the full and half events filled.  Not one to be left out, I am in the process of throwing together one of the most quickly assembled relay teams I have ever taken part in. Should be interesting!

In other news, I went ahead and ordered the Pearl Izumi shirt I had been eyeing, but now there is a very real chance I may not get it in time for my trail race.  When I got the email confirmation this morning saying the item would be shipped on Tuesday, September 3, I called them up and cried foul!  Well, not really, but I did ask if there was a reason for the delay.  Apparently, the item comes directly from Pearl Izumi and they are in no hurry to send things out.  So, I did what any self-respecting runner (with no real self-respect) would do, and I asked the customer service rep to please contact the company and let them know that their customer is desperate to receive said item by Wednesday, September 4.  I am sure it will have no impact, but I did what I could and if it somehow helps the shirt get to me sooner, so much the better.  I mean, it is all about my happiness, right?  Now, watch.  I will get this shirt on time, wear it, and wonder what all the hype was about.  It's pretty rare when I buy something without due consideration, so it would serve me right to have the one time I don't do a ton of research on turn out to be a bad buy.

Happy Tuesday!