This is what happens on rest days with marathon jitters.
I have not given a thought to what is coming next in running other than to register for the St. George lottery and go from there. If I had not made the St. George lottery, I am not sure I would train for another marathon this year. Like Collin Anderson, I am aware that I am building my foundation on a bad hip. The “hope for the best” strategy has been going well enough so far, but eventually I believe I will have to fix it or potentially be ruined by it.
This has made me think of the arc of an adult runner. Someone like Rob Murphy, Sasha or Fritz who has been doing this their entire adult lives has more insight than I do, but what are the reasons the rest of us get into running, obsess over PRs and then stay consistent or not? Can Rob, Sasha and Fritz see a one year blogger from a mile away (or perhaps miles behind them on a course)?
The primary motivator for getting back into running is usually health, but there are contributing factors. For me, I wanted some redemption. I feel I was a talented runner who didn’t appreciate the gift I was given and I wanted to prove to myself that I could stick with it and be good at it. I also have a social need, and I appreciate that bloggers acknowledge this aspect by putting their work out there for everyone to see and making an effort to meet one another. It is easy to live in isolation as an adult. You don’t really need to make friends if you have a family and a job that occupy most of your waking hours. But for me, the longing for community is always there.
Although PRs and winning may seem like an outward display of braggadocio, I think they are ultimately very personal things. It is part of a journey of the self toward fulfillment of some kind. Running is sexy because the measure of improvement is so concrete and the barriers to entry are so minimal.
Why do some stay with it and some quit? There are a number of ways to stay with it. You can keep obsessing over mileage and PRs, you can try to maintain as you age, you can move to other distances, you can reduce to a minimal volume to maintain fitness, you can make it a part of a fitness regime that includes other priorities or you can get fat again. You can also get on and off the hamster wheel from season to season and year to year. That’s what I am wrestling with now.
I stopped after five months of training last year because a knee injury started creeping up and I sort of fell off the wagon. Then it was hard to convince myself to get back on the wagon when it was 80+ degrees out there during the summer. That hiatus is not far behind me and is right in front of me – I have yet to prove I can run 50+ miles/wk during the summer months. Being a consistent early riser is probably the best solution (I have been persuaded by a comment from Jake K that I should avoid the treadmill if I have hip issues).
Clearly injuries are the one variable that is hardest to control. Is it worth it to see every doctor and spend vast amounts of money to be racing fast if you can trod along and stay healthy? This must be a very personal answer. I am guessing that those who love it and can’t live without it don’t even ask the question. I am definitely healthier and happier running and I am excited to be a part of this community, so do I continue on and at what cost?
Hopefully, I can push all of this off until after this autumn. I have to come up with a training plan and some races between now and then. After all, what better way is there to ignore the inevitable crossroads that each of us will face than tying your shoes (or slipping on your crocs) and getting out for a run? | 