So. It's official - I am NOT running the half marathon I was planning on only a week away. I have thought and thought about this for awhile, even while I was training my ass off. There are so many reasons why I have come to this conclusion, some make sense and are actual reasons and then some are, well, excuses. I hate to use that word, but it's true.
Over the course of the last 3 weeks, I have traveled in a car. Sat, in a car, for a total of 44 hours. That's a long time. This also means that I have been away from home and in a routine that is not normal for a total of 44 hours + 12 days of activity time. Again, a long time to be away and not able to comfortably run like I am used to.
This - is my excuse reason for not running. While in Vegas, I did not run at all. I could go on about why and they would just be excuses, so I'll spare that for your eyes. When I returned home from that trip, it was a whirlwind of things and I still did not run as much as I should have for my training. I know that I have done enough to have kept going even without a few of my longer runs, but I just was not feeling it and didn't make enough time for myself.
After Vegas, I ventured out to Portland and Seattle on my own for a short get-a-way (5 days worth) and ran only 2 times and drank way too much. I'm pretty sure my drinking fun counter-acted the runs I went on.
So, there is my excuse for choosing to not run. Even though this is my 'tapering' week where I slowly decrease my miles to prepare my body for a longer run, I still did not feel up to running, at all..
Fast forward to yesterday when I walked into my doctor's office to have a minor procedure. What I was not aware of was the fact that this minor procedure involved stitches. Although small, the stitches are right above my belly button and then my lower abdomen and are very irritated because of all the bending, picking up, and twisting that I do on a daily basis. I can't imagine going for a 5 mile run when even Tylenol doesn't help the sting of the pain and the swelling.
This - is part of my reason for not running. Considering the fact that the stitches won't be removed until the 18th (half was on the 16th), I don't feel comfortable getting sweat all in my tiny wounds and getting an infection. Yes, I can wrap them and whatever, but I don't wanna. I just don't wanna.
Lastly, I feel like the main reason I was going to run a half-marathon was because of what it would look like to people - what they would think about me when I told them or showed pictures of me running and completing a run of 13.1 miles. I was training and couldn't wait to share what I was doing with the world. I don't think I was running for me about half the time. Yes, I had a lot of times where I just needed to run because it felt good. And that is still true - I need to run. And I enjoy running. But I think I burnt myself out - I think I pushed my mind and sometimes my body into something I wasn't ready for quite yet. I don't think I am mentally ready and honestly, my mind and pocket book do not want to pay the money for it - when really, I can run 13.1 miles if I wanted to and still share it with the world if I wanted to and still be proud of myself for doing it in whatever time I am able to complete it.
I discussed this with Aaron and he was very supportive of my choice. Luckily, I hadn't registered for the race and I am glad I didn't. I have time to choose another race if I want to later when I am more prepared mentally... and even physically.
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