Getting Back Into The Race

2011 NYC Half Marathon

A couple of years ago, I was running.  A lot.  I had done 4 half marathons in 2 years, several 10Ks, 4 milers and 5Ks.  I have a drawer full of race tee shirts and a small stack of medals, and while training for the New York City marathon in 2011 I sustained an injury that forced me to cut back significantly on my running.  A friend of mine took me to Flywheel (spinning is a fantastic low-impact exercise and a great cardio workout, especially if you need a break from running) so I was still working out, but I haven’t run or raced for a long time.

For a while, I didn’t really miss it.  But lately, I’m getting the running bug again.  I’ve gone for a couple of short runs, which have felt decent, but I’m starting to miss the structure of really training for something.  I used to make a spreadsheet of my training schedule, print it out, put it on the refrigerator, and check off my daily accomplishments.  There was a certain sense of satisfaction I’d get crossing off my workouts at 6am before going into work and knowing I had already completed something before the workday even began.  And once I’d cross the finish line, I’d already be choosing my next race in the back of my mind.

I’m in a new city, with a whole new race calendar with courses I’ve never run before.  I’m going to pick a race, set a new goal, and start training, especially now that the Arizona weather is taking a turn for the better – perfect running weather is right around the corner.  I will post training updates here, and hopefully a few good race stories.

-Michelle

@michellernewman

#FITJ