Last Place Runner

I really wish I had made more time to write about my training for my first half marathon. It has been so rewarding, so amazing, so life changing. And, surprise surprise, it has been easy, too.

One day I just ran 5 miles. Then six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven. Then our last training run was 12.25. Our last group run was yesterday, an easy and fun 6 miles. Whoo!

The race is less than a week away. And I’m ready. Without a doubt.

What kept me away from writing was partly the running! So that’s OK. My job also kept me so very, very busy with work and commuting that any extra time I had from January until now I was trying to get my running done, or just having dinner and falling into bed.

I was commuting 70 miles per day, two hours minimum. I loved my job and the people I worked with. But when something closer to home and much better paying came along — unexpectedly, too! — I took it. So I started a new job last Monday.

I think I’ve already started to mourn the end of my training. I felt really sad this morning and I couldn’t think of a reason. But I cried as I pulled towels out of the dryer, and I cried while I folded and put them away. And I cried a little bit more while I started other laundry and unloaded the dishwasher. But then I felt a little better.

Yesterday was my last time to run with my training group. And even though I’ve spent the past four months running with people I know I’ll get to run with again, it was really bittersweet. Some of the volunteers in our group advised us to go ahead and schedule a race to have something to do after the half, but I haven’t done that yet. There’s no question about whether I’ll keep running, I just think I’d like at least one Saturday of sleeping past 5:30 AM.

So for now, my plan is to run my first half marathon on April 2 and then find a race to do in May. I think it would be great to stay 10K ready, and now that I know how excited I was yesterday to “only” have to do 6 miles, that shouldn’t be a problem. Some of my friends are going directly to another half marathon the weekend after. But I want a breather.

I’m turning 40 in a few weeks and that’s the only plan I’m going to have for now.