Burnout!!

I have been running consistently since October 2007, and I finally experienced burnout. This morning I rolled out of bed, slipped into my running clothes and shoes, and put on my iPod. I took ONE step out of the front door and came to a dead stop; all I could think was "I cannot make myself do this today." Feeling extremely guilty, I called my husband, who was driving to work. I explained my predicament and asked him what he thought about me taking the rest of this week (i.e., four days) off from running. Over analyzing as usual, I worked four days off up to failure in a marathon. However, after a 5-minute chat with my (counselor) husband, I realized that I need a short vacation from running. I take vacations from work to refresh, why shouldn't I do the same with running? The distinction in my head is that work is something I have to do, while running is something I want to do. However, running can get monotonous, and maybe I need a few days off to remember just how truly good it makes me feel. We are spending the weekend in Taos, NM, so I will definitely still get some exercise walking around the square, whitewater rafting, and hiking. I am going to reward my months of consistent running with a short break, and hopefully come out a better runner on the other side.

Sabotage...

I ran my first 10K (6.2 miles) this past Saturday. It was my husband David's second 10K (he ran his first when I ran my 1/2 Marathon). Naturally, I asked him for advice on pacing myself for the 10K. He tells me not to start out too fast because it is a difficult distance to run if you run too fast in the beginning. As a born rule-follower, I decide to heed his advice. After all, he is my husband, and he would never sabotage me in order to kick my butt in the 10K...or would he???

After waiting and waiting and waiting for the start, the gun goes off . . . and David is gone. I kept up with him for about 30 seconds at his daunting 7:30 pace at the start, but I slowed down quickly because I was sure that he had started out too fast. I typically do 7:30 pace in a 5K, so I figured, based on David's advice, that I would kill myself trying to sustain that level for over six miles. However, David never slowed down, and I never caught up with him. I kept him in my sights, believing in my heart that he started out too fast, that he would slow down, and that I would catch up to him. I never did catch up to him. I got close, but he just kept the pace and finished well ahead of me. However, I finished with a time of 50:53 and placed second in the 20-29 age group.

When the race was over, I asked David why he started off so fast and maintained such a fast pace. He responded that a friend of his (who is really fast) started off fast and he realized (after the race had begun) that he needed to start off more quickly. Did he tell me this? No. Did he slow down and tell me I needed to pick up the pace? No. Then he tells me, after the race, that you can't start out thinking that you will make up time in the later miles, because it is just too short of a race. Too short??? This is six miles we are talking about.

So he beat me. I should be proud--my husband is becoming a better runner and spending time with me at these races. But anyone out there who knows me well at all knows that I didn't consider that I needed to feel proud of him until a few days after the race was over. I had a pity party for the entire weekend after the race. My competitiveness kicks in, and I have trouble being proud of the person I love the most in this world. David, if you are reading this, I am proud of you now, but I am still not positive that you didn't sabotage me. ;-)