I Miss Being In Love With Running

I’m finally there. I’m in the time and place and dimension where I can say these words and actually mean them. I am ready. I miss running.

Not only do I miss running after my annual winter hiatus, I am ready to start training again. I’m saying this much earlier than I usually do — I don’t usually feel the itch until late March/early April — but this year is different. Here’s why:

1. I am running a summer marathon.

If there’s anything that will motivate and excite me about running, it is a race. Specifically, a marathon-length race with a lofty goal.

2. A July marathon means March training. March training means February base building.

And that’s where I am now – about to start my base building. I told Coach Abby that I’m ready for her to work on my base building plan to ensure I return to regular running (I’ve been doing 3-4 miles here and there) safely and smartly, with a nice balance to Refine classes.

3. I am sick of my short runs feeling so hard.

I’ve only been running 3-4 miles, but every step of those miles feels impossible. I feel nostalgic for the days a 40 minute run was considered an ‘easy’ day.  I long for the days 8 miles was a “short long run.”

4. I am faster.

A big part of the reason I chose a summer marathon is because I am always faster in the spring.  I PR 10ks in the spring on very little training. When summer hits and humidity soars, I slow down. Starting fall marathon training in July is bad for the ego. I want to train when I am faster so I can have more confidence and feel more qualified to hit my goal.

5. My knee doesn’t hurt.

You might remember I didn’t hit my Richmond Marathon goal because my knee was injured and ruined miles 14-26.2  of my goal race. After rest, physical therapy and strengthening, it feels good again! I also bought a Zensah knee sleeve that might or might not help, but in my brain it helps a lot. But after doing an overhead press, my neck injury is back and better (worse?) than ever. So, there’s that.  I’m actually deeply upset about this and wrote an entire whiny blog post complaining and being mad at myself for causing this, but no one wants to see that.

6. I miss being in love with running.

I miss going to sleep excited for the following day’s run. I miss the feeling of conquering a tempo run. I miss programming my watch to beep and tell me when to slow down and when to speed up. I miss having goals. I miss running with my friends. I miss Jersey City morning running with Miranda. I miss tweeting about running and talking about running and obsessing over running. I miss registering for races. I miss PRing. I miss being frustrated with not PRing. I miss setting goals. I miss running many days a week. I miss feeling badass about running many days a week. I miss constantly looking at a training plan. I miss analyzing a training plan. I miss crossing off completed days on a training plan. I miss wondering about what a future run on my training plan that seems challenging will be like. I miss finding out what the run on my training plan that seems challenging is like. I miss blogging about running. I miss having great run days. I miss having bad run days. I miss weekend long runs. I miss brunch after weekend long runs. I want to feel this way again; I am ready to feel this way again.

<WHINE ALERT> The only thing standing in my way (because there always has to be something with me…) is my  neck/shoulder, which I am starting acupuncture for on Sunday and plan to go twice a week. PT didn’t help last time (I went for about 5 months) so I don’t know what else to do since it is a muscle injury. Andy got me an e-stim machine that I will use at home starting tonight. I am icing and heating, though I don’t know which is better. I take Rx strength Naproxen. I sleep ony on my good neck side. They don’t give cortisone for muscle injuries, much to my dismay. And I built a lot of strength back at Refine the last few months, but I have to stop going while my neck is a mess. So of course, I am worried about that impact. </WHINE ALERT>

That’s all I’ve got. Tell me something else that will add to my feelings of running love.