Take a break. I dare you. I double dog dare you.
After the Blue Ridge Half, I had brief thoughts of signing up for another race right away. Then I thought about changing my fall plans.
Then I realized that I need to run just to run. 4 miles. 6 miles. 2 miles. On a trail. Just whatever I feel like at whatever pace I feel like.
I have two races on my 2013 calendar right now. The first is 6 months from now.
That will change, I’m 99.9% sure of that. I’m not in a rush, though, to sign up for a race and go for a goal.
It’s a nice free state to be in. It’s something that can change overnight if I want to.
Like I said, try it sometime …
Good for you! I’ve done this before and come back more refreshed and excited about racing than ever. I think everyone should do this at one point or another.
I don’t have any big races, but I have the Lawyers Have Heart 10K in June and then the 8K I do on July 4th.
David - we should catch up sometime. Do I understand that your mornings are free now? Let me know if you want to get together for a short run on a weekday mid-morning sometime.
I might not always have a race on the calendar, but if people ask me if I’m training, I always say I’m training for something. There will always be a race somewhere down the road, so I keep training for that race.
At the end of a hard training routine or perhaps after a race, i always put in something done just for fun and enjoyment without any pressure on getting a specific result. Makes a tremendous difference and give a natural break before getting back to the serious stuff.
I took a one week break after the last race in my schedule. Nothing planned until October. It was surprisingly hard. I was irritable. But the truth is I think it helped me a lot. I feel fresh and ran 14 k today feeling great. I buckled though, signed up for a race at the end of the month and one in July. Oh well.
Every time I try it, I get antsy and sign up for something. I enjoy attending races, so I sign up for them.
Sounds like a good plan. It should leave you refreshed and well prepared for the races you do have planned for later in the year.