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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

I Made a Mistake and I Need Your Opinion....

Two weeks ago I completed the 35th Annual Marine Corp Marathon, marking the completion of my fourth straight marathon - not too shabby for a slow, overweight 41 year old.

However, since that race I've felt great and have been thinking about the next one I'd like to complete.

So yesterday I signed up for the Yuengling Shamrock full Marathon that is scheduled to occur on March 20, 2011 in Virgina Beach, Va. I had a buddy who ran that event last year and he had a ball - so we'll run it together next March.

However, as I was looking through the calendar today I became aware of the fact that the Shamrock will be exactly 18 weeks away this coming Sunday, which means I "should" start training for it this week if I plan on following my typical marathon running regimen. Here's a link to my training schedule http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/inter1.html.

The problem is that I was hoping to take a month off from running altogether so I could rest and really pack on the pounds...um, er I mean...really enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends during the holidays.

I know this seems like needless self-imposed drama, but I question whether I should take a break or take to the streets and begin training again. What would you do? Please let me know.....


4 comments:

  1. I would run. Good for the heart, soul, and keeps me sane during the holidays! I took from Thanksgiving to New Years off last year and regretted it - packed on a few pounds and didn't feel good about myself or my progress. Running alleviates my stress and keeps me fit even if I am just maintaining. Hoping to run The Flower City 1/2 Marathon this year May 1st - will be my 1st and haven't officially run more than 7.5 miles in any one race. I would enjoy the food, family and fun of the holidays but don't give up the RUN! Just sayin'........Good Luck! :)

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  2. I would take a break ... maybe just not a full month. Biggest lesson of my competitive running life is that sometimes rest is more important than training. If you take two weeks off instead of a full month you can give your body a break but still get the bulk of your training in. I'm loving your dedication to the marathon ... You have to come run NYC!

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  3. Well, I missed this when it was initially posted, so I'm a few weeks behind. So, I'm guessing you have already made your decision? What'd you decide??

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  4. @All, thanks for the suggestions and support! I took three weeks off and started running again this past weekend.

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