I’ve decided not to run the Chilly Half Marathon this November. I’ve made this decision about five times.
It’s the right decision.
I haven’t run further than 7 miles since May. MAY. (The kids dropped out of summer camp, I got a chest cold and spent two weeks on an inhaler, my babysitter started field hockey… life happens, and this time, I didn’t figure out a way around it)
The Chilly Half Marathon is in 6 weeks.
You don’t prepare for a half marathon in 6 weeks.
That’s an insult to the half marathon distance. (Maybe this would be possible if I were doing a lot of running, but I’m running fewer than 10 miles a week right now.)
You know when that long run was in May? The Maine Coast Half Marathon. My slowest and most brutal half marathon, which I also ran unprepared, because I’d spent the 3 months prior learning to swim and road bike for my first triathlon.
I promised after the grueling 6 miles of walking I did during that race that I’d never run another half unprepared.
So, for the 6th time, I have decided not to run the Chilly Half Marathon in November.
I’m not prepared.
The problem is that my head has decided this, and my heart is drowning in sorrow and playing little violins every time I go for a run.
I went for a beautiful fall run with the stroller today, a nice tempo 3 miles in the first brisk weather I’ve had for running. It was gorgeous. It even smelled like the start line in November – cool air, chilly breeze… ahhh.
Chilly is hard for me because I’ll be there as a spectator if I’m not running. I love watching Greg, but it’s harder when it’s a race I used to be so excited to run too. A race I signed up for. A nagging little piece of my heart says “just go, you’ll make it!”
I think what I may have to do is go for a 10 mile long run and allow my body to explain to my heart in excruciating detail exactly why we are not running the Chilly Half in November for the first time in 3 years.
It’s tough love, but it may need to happen.
You need to run it.
What’s the worst that can happen?
Sore knees ?
You need to run it!
Shut your head, get the right mantra…”I am conquering this race”. Do it.
Kelly, Kelly, Kelly – Of course you can train in 6 weeks. I’ve run several HMs after training for a mere 5 weeks AND I ran my full marathon after training for only 8 weeks. (Hal Higdon actually has a full marathon training program that is only 8 weeks long.)
Why would you make yourself sad by not running it when you can make yourself happy by yes running it?
Just do it!!!!!! And report back, of course.
Wow, you guys – so much faith! I think the problem here, and maybe the missing piece of the puzzle for why I’m not as brave as you two, is that I’ve completed 3 half marathons that I didn’t feel prepared for and had horrible experiences each time. The worst that can happen is another 6 or 7 mile slog to the finish after only successfully running a 10k, wishing the entire time that each step didn’t feel like fire. I’ve actually cried on the course at mile 10 before. Full on tears. It hurts to go from running 3-4 miles occasionally to trying to run a half marathon just because you’ve done them in the past and signed up for this one.
After doing that three times, I’m worried that if I do it again, I’ll lose my love of running. That’s what I’m really afraid of.