Every time I’m through the first trimester I start dreaming of running fast again. I’m usually so tired and blobby feeling the first 14 weeks, and when I start feeling better, I start thinking about getting back in shape. It’s so far away and so close all at the same time. And for anyone wondering- I start running much slower with no hard effort as soon as I find out I’m pregnant. I see no point in trying to run fast when my body is going through all that. If I run a race for fun, I might run a little harder at the end just for kicks, but nothing crazy!
I just read Molly’s post about her different marathons and I am specifically intrigued by her most recent marathon that she ran on a whim. She was fit from Boston training, after not having the race she was trained for, she decided to run another and ran strong. Not a PR, but strong and not so calculated. For me, as someone who runs for their hobby, not their job, I like the idea of that. I like just picking up and running when  you want to run and not being quite so obsessed with timing and numbers.
When the pressure is off, you sometimes run your best races. In 2010 I PRed in the marathon and it was after IÂ decided a few days before the race that I would just see how I felt and not necessarily run really fast. I had just taken a new job and was a little overwhelmed so decided to take the pressure off. I ended up running fast for where I was at that time and had a great race.
I haven’t truly raced a marathon in three years– which sounds like a really long time, but really a lot has happened in those three years. (I have ran other distances since then but not a marathon!)
Last Marathon I raced – Shamrock Marathon – Early 2013
(I did run Boston in 2014 but not as a race, just for fun!)
A big surgery – Late 2013
A little surgery – Early 2015
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A Baby– Early 2015
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A stupid but very time involved injury – Mid 2015
Crazy to think by the time I go at it again it will likely be a solid 4-5 years. Would have been only 2.5 had I not torn my plantar fascia last summer. An opportunity lost because I have stupid feet. I could be sitting on a new, pretty, hard earned marathon PR right now.
BUT. I am a big fan of not making a huge deal out of set backs (not that that baby in 2015 is something I consider a setback!!) because usually there’s nothing you can do about it and there are much more important things in the world to worry about than my running. Truly. And I mean that 100%. Perspective is important. Like anything someone is super involved with and into- it can become an idol of sorts and a selfish obsession and I really never want running to be that to me. Sure I want to run fast and give myself challenges, but I hope that I remember through it all that it’s not all about me and to never lose sight of that.
Anyway, I just walked away from this post to my 1.5 year old with a fistful of dog poop in his hands, so I’m gonna leave it at that.
Second trimester dreaming. I might be delusional that I’ll have any desire to train for a marathon anytime soon after this baby is born; we’ll see.
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