In the last couple of weeks, right as I passed the turn-around with my Whole30 bonking and had a great back-to-back 15 trail miles and 10 road miles, things happen (not on physical front), other things rolled, and the exercise stopped pretty dead on tracks. Since then I had gone to lift weights once (hard, but once), did 3 Bikram yoga class (2 with Larry!), walked 3 times from 6 to 10 miles (to/from work), ran once well on trails, once badly, twice short on roads - and spent 30 hrs volunteering (a.k.a. running tight ship) at Cactus Rose 50/100. I will write something about the latter for Endurance Buzz soon and post a link, but for now I am pretty un-inspired to do anything at all. I either sleep in, or wake up and not make it out the door - and to add an injury to an insult, the weather cooled down and is perfect!
But, such is life. Between stress, a general run-down, and Austin being not the place I get pumped to train when brunt out with life and 13 years of hard racing (sorry, but with the work/family obligations I am confided to 4 loops, 2 on trails, 2 on roads, and eventually they get to you), I am just taking my time to see if I rebound. May be not, and it aligns with the fact that I am planning to things next year mostly non-competitive, even if few happen to be races. I just need to ensure I can make it through 50 miles:)
May be I also need a trip elsewhere where the mountains are.
I have my best friends from Portland coming over to visit...hope I can actually take them out on trails!
Stay well, have fun, make the best out of everything.
I am not complaining, by the way, just stating facts. May be I need it. I trust myself.
Always.
p.s. my friend and former best running partner Bushwhacker Mike once told me that athlete's life goes in 3 year cycles: 2 years great, one year down. Come to think about it, my last 2 years were damn productive. In fact, I already contemplated about this very cycle in one of the previous years (or couple), and I guess it's been confirmed. I am officially on my "down" year!
p.p.s. on another hand, my coaching for runners goes fantastic, and I live vicariously through them all!
But, such is life. Between stress, a general run-down, and Austin being not the place I get pumped to train when brunt out with life and 13 years of hard racing (sorry, but with the work/family obligations I am confided to 4 loops, 2 on trails, 2 on roads, and eventually they get to you), I am just taking my time to see if I rebound. May be not, and it aligns with the fact that I am planning to things next year mostly non-competitive, even if few happen to be races. I just need to ensure I can make it through 50 miles:)
May be I also need a trip elsewhere where the mountains are.
I have my best friends from Portland coming over to visit...hope I can actually take them out on trails!
Stay well, have fun, make the best out of everything.
I am not complaining, by the way, just stating facts. May be I need it. I trust myself.
Always.
p.s. my friend and former best running partner Bushwhacker Mike once told me that athlete's life goes in 3 year cycles: 2 years great, one year down. Come to think about it, my last 2 years were damn productive. In fact, I already contemplated about this very cycle in one of the previous years (or couple), and I guess it's been confirmed. I am officially on my "down" year!
p.p.s. on another hand, my coaching for runners goes fantastic, and I live vicariously through them all!
16 comments:
You are not alone. I’ve been going through the same thing for months. Just a lack of fire in my belly to get out the door and train hard! Nevertheless, after taken some time off, and working an AS at a race I should have ran, the desire to get out and train hard is finally starting to resurface. I got a lot of work to do to get back into ultra-shape, but finally looking forward to the challenge. Enjoy the off time without guilt, and when the time is right for you, the undeniable desire to get out the door and get it back will be there.
Thanks, Thomas! I know, it had happened before too (I just added a little p.s. to my post). You're right, that "spiral" of life is like that - you step back a bit, then get a new 'round, but a level is different. Not necessarily better or worse, just sometimes different.
I'm with ya', Olga....maybe it's that time of year to back off and take care of other things. Not much running in my days right now, lots of walks/hikes with Deb and the dogs, though. Looking forward to spending some time with Deb's family in Texas in a few weeks!
Hang in there, it always gets better (than it is right now) :-)
Wow, like, a dozen from Facebook and now here, and all in the funk, huh? Even age is not near each other. Must be something in the air:) But you're right, Steve, doing things that had been postponed so many times and pushed aside is a good thing. Enjoy Texas! We shall plan to visit you guys soon, sometime later next year may be...
Hey Olga,
Just getting out of a bit of a slump myself. UTMB really left me in a funk. So, I've been fairly lazy the past 2 months and feel fat and lethargic. I'm probably only 2 pounds heavy, and am probably still pretty fit, but I FEEL like I weigh 20 pounds more and struggle to call myself a runner (even though I've still run more than 40 miles/week the past 2 months, I have not been hitting what I usually try to hit). But, my slump is ending and I'm going for a bit of a streak. I'm on day 3 right now, but I'm feeling so ready to train for 2013. Sometimes, breaks are good. Make you hungry again.
I hear you on 20 lbs vs real life (I am weighting the same). I was going into Blackhills already pooped for some reason, planned to take a break, but was too afraid - so instead trained hard (and mostly on a treadmill! since it was mid-summer). Now that it's time to get out, I don't want to. In fact, I am about to cancel my gym membership, just for mental break too. I'll sign up later...
Not sure what my problem is since for year's I've easily jumped out of bed when the alarm goes off at 4:30 or 5am. Even on weekends I"m happy to be on the trails by 9 instead of 6 or 7 am. Glad I'm not the only one. I guess it's good to follow the ebbs and flows but it makes me feel old.
Enjoy a little break and I'm sure the motivation will come again, perhaps for something a little different! :)
I hear ya' Olga! I'm definitely having some motivation issues myself. Interesting to see quite a few of us are - and we're all about the same age. Not sure what the best answer is. I've tried pushing through it, pulling back, and everything in between, and I can't quite find the right fit. Yet. :)
It is also just that time of year to sleep in and be a slug.
Olga, I totally feel ya regarding the 'same loop' thing. I learned that lesson one too many times when I bought houses. I would eventually just be so uninspired to go out for yet another run on the all too familiar route. But that can happen almost anywhere. Time off is a GOOD think as far as I'm concerned. I've never been fully immersed in one sport or another. I have found I like to run distance for a while and when that gets old, mountain biking comes in, then sometimes just chilling out. The key is being OK with not being motivated to run. Just find another outlet for a while and running will come back, always does! :)
It was a nice little break, I think I might do something physical, again, beginning now:) !!
I like Bushwhacker's words. I seem to have a 2 year cycle. One good, one bad. I think is has to do with motivation to train hard or it could be my body protesting. Who knows. Anyway, enjoy the down time.
I like Bushwhacker's words. I seem to have a 2 year cycle. One good, one bad. I think is has to do with motivation to train hard or it could be my body protesting. Who knows. Anyway, enjoy the down time.
I agree with the cycle...I must be on the 1 year down. :-/ The good news is that next year will be better. I just found your blog and look forward to reading more.
Olga, no more updates?
About what? Running? Ran every day last week, no more than 8 miles, and nothing specific, just ran. Diet? After I fell of the wagon of The Whole30 really hard (family comes first, and I needed to tend to things), I have to admit I feel like crap. Big pile of it. So much for all the hard work and good results and potential lessons...that said, and since we're going fastpacking (for which I simply can't prepare in time and due to said family tending), I have full intention to go back to it, again, right after coming back after Thanksgiving (yes, that includes that Lookout Mountain 50 M Race I am walking in December). Keep me accountable. I hate the way I feel. Life? My older son came to visit for 2 days as a result of emergency, and while reason was not so good, the stay was awesome, and the hope is positive. My younger son, on another hand, decided he is the king of the world to do what he wants and the hopes fades away. I am doing well, all things considering.
Post a Comment