Sunday, March 11, 2012

Progress

I didn't mean to leave that last post up there as long as I did.  I was feeling very sorry for myself that day but it was short lived.  I'm not thrilled that this happened and I really just want to run again, but I'm a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason and looking back, my reason for this is that I just flat out needed to take it easy for a bit.  Too much 'life' stress was there and while I thought that the running was helping me cope (and I'm sure it was to an extent), the combination of life stress and then sudden marathon training stress was too much I think.  I'm pretty sure now that I'd have never made it through this training cycle so I'm lucky the injury wasn't worse and silly enough, I'm glad there was an injury (to a limited extent).  I would have totally felt like a failure if I just wasn't able to make it through and looking back at the last 5 weeks, I can't even imagine keeping up with it all in the midst of the other life crap.

So amazingly enough, all is good.  And on the life front all is very good.  I'm not going to elaborate for all the world to see but suffice it to say, I was in a job situation that wasn't the best for me.  It hadn't been for quite some time and recently gotten worse.  So I was actively looking for another job and one came through. I've gone one more week at the old place and then I'm off to a new place that I'm very excited about and I'm convinced the person who will be my boss and I will get along really well because we seemed to hit it off during the interview process very well.  Working for someone you like and respect is so important.

The world is looking brighter.

I've done a lot of thinking on what I can do for the rest of the year to meet certain goals while making sure I don't end up back here on the injured list again.  The biggest thing is to reevaluate Plan B.  If you remember, Plan B had me running the San Francisco Marathon as my first one.  That is at the end of July and I really got all excited about it.  BUT.  And this is huge.  I would have to start officially training for that (assuming a 16 week plan) the first week in April.  Well, here it is March 11th and I'm not even running.  So even assuming I'll be running on April 1st -- realistically there is no way I should start a marathon training cycle on a now non-existent base.

Also, I will be starting a new job and no matter how excited about that I am, there is some built in stress and adjustment when that happens.  Plus, I'm taking on a big job with lots to get done so I suspect that I'll be busier.  All super fun stuff (for me anyway) but I did FINALLY have a good ole talk with myself and realized that I'd be a silly fool to jump right into marathon training given both of these things.  Maybe if I'd done one before and maybe if I was younger and maybe if I were more fit  - but for me for now, it would probably be just another injury waiting to happen.

I'm getting smarter about this.

I've embraced Plan C.  Plan C has me running whenever I can again (please let it be soon, running gods, pretty please) and then go back to what I was doing in the fall -- base building.  Just get back up to speed and maybe run some smaller races and even a half marathon or two.  And just have fun through July, ending my fun streak with running the first half of the SF Marathon.  It's the hillier half but you get to run over the Golden Gate Bridge and that alone makes me happy to think about.  

Then I start marathon training again.  Starting in early August means that CIM will be my first!!  I'm totally excited about that -- after reading all the wonderful recaps from the CIM runners last year, I think it will be a perfect first marathon.   Plan C seems fun, reasonable, and doable.

Whew.

I'm energized again.  I know early on when I hurt my foot I said I'd try to focus on core and other ways of staying in shape.  That really didn't happen.  I managed to join a gym, go to a spin class (which was huge -- I was so scared that first day!), take several spin classes but until last week, not go consistently and that's about it.  I spent a lot of time sleeping -- which sounds like it should be lovely coming form the insomniac but it wasn't.  It was the sleep of someone who had maxed out her coping skills.  It was all I could do to get through my days so I could sleep again.

But we're done.  5 slightly more difficult days -- but I want to use this week to start getting back into some consistent exercise routine so when my foot decides to feel better, I'm ready.  And the good news is, it isn't hurting as much as it was. Progress my friends.  And that's the best thing ever.


8 comments:

Paul said...

Hi Trica, there you are!

Congrats on the new job, and I think plan C is a good realistic idea.

I think your pretty lucky with your stress fracture...a friend had to wear a boot and use crutches for 3 months. Yuk. (She'd ignored it for quite a while so it got worse I guess)

Anyway, lessons learned no? Get some other exercise methods going for yourself!

Sending healing thoughts..

congrats on the new job! Sounds like a good move for you.

-p

Katie @ Will Race for Carbs said...

I had to take a couple weeks off from blogging and now I see that you have a fracture!! Oh no!!! I am so glad it is feeling better and let me tell you that I DO know what you are going through. It just sucks, sucks, sucks, but glad you are feeling a little cheerier. The more you can find to do the better. Hoping you have fast healing!

Terzah said...

Job stress can totally suck the life out of everything, I totally understand. And like you said, it's as if your body understood that too.

Fun marathons aren't going anywhere. The right race will be there when you are truly ready to embrace the training!

Fingers crossed that you run again soon.

XLMIC said...

I think Plan C sounds pretty spectacular :)

So very glad things are looking up!

Caroline said...

I am a fan of progress
congrats on the new job!
Plan C sounds perfect
I want to do the SF half...

Anonymous said...

Bit by bit - you're getting there! Base building is certainly the way to go - you'll get that full - no doubt about it!

Kathy said...

Oh, gosh darn it, why did my last post come up as anonymous?? Sorry!

Bit by bit - you're getting there! Base building is certainly the way to go - you'll get that full - no doubt about it!

Anne said...

Looks like you're discovering why the attrition rate is much higher among marathoners than halfs, but you are indeed wise to not commit to something during a difficult (but hopefully delightful) juncture. New jobs are wonderful...and often time consuminig until you get the hang of it. I think you picked a great time to have a stress fracture.