In six days, I'll be lining up at the start in Fernandina Beach, ready for my second-ever half marathon.
But as with all things, there is good news and bad news.
The good news? I'm excited. I'm ready for a girls' weekend with some wonderful friends and talented athletes. I'm looking forward to the gorgeous race course and the pre-race and post-race festivities at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island. The experience is one I am sure to never forget.
Which brings us to the bad news, and kind of why I haven't updated much in the past few days.
I'm not physically at the top of my game. Which means my mental wellbeing is suffering, too. It's nothing incredibly serious. I got some hideous blisters at Disney last Monday on the tops of both littles toes (from a pair of shoes that never gave me any trouble in the past, which was my entire reason for wearing them) that are healing way too slowly for my liking. On top of that, I've had a couple little hiccups with my health, which is causing me to reign things in a bit. It's nothing terribly serious, but it's annoying, inconvenient and means spending more time listening to my body.
Needless to say, my emotions are all over the map. I am a big fan of perpetual forward motion: always improving, always stretching for another goal. Setbacks and stalls really get in my head and mess with me. Which is ridiculous because no good thing comes without challenges and false starts, and my logical self knows this, but the part of my brain that loves seeing me writhe in self-doubt sure is having a field day right now.
I can do the distance. I've proven it. I love the distance. I love the act of running (usually). There is nothing productive to come from analyzing the what ifs and could have beens, and no amount of beating myself up will have any positive impact on Saturday. And so I am going to try to let it all go, focus on eating right, getting enough sleep, squeezing in a last shake-out run or two if I can, and go to the start line of ZOOMA prepared for a great day and a great run.
What are your best coping techniques for when your body rebels against your plans and goals?
You got this!! It's all mind over matter and you know you can complete the miles already. One way I cope when my body is telling me no is to incentivize it. For example, I went for a long run and was dying at mile 6 with 4 miles to go. So I told myself that I could eat some ice cream if I completed the 10 miles, but only if I did all the miles! Good luck with your race!
Great attitude! I'm excited to meet a bunch of great people., too! It's going to be fun!
Just relax and go with the flow. Enjoy the race and trust your training. You can do it!
Thanks. I hope I can do just that.
Ugh, so sorry that you're not feeling your best. Figures that it would happen right before a race, right? Blah. But you're right. It's out of your hands – and you have lots of things to look forward to this weekend besides the actual race. Try to take care of yourself, and you'll be ok.
don't be afraid to pop those blisters to drain the fluid.
I had these same problem, shoes that never gave me dramas, then suddenly have me issues. It could mean that you need new shoes. If they keep giving you problems, then I would consider getting refitted.
the days that are can't be arsed, I just go out and do it and I feel better. This morning for example I so didn't want to go for a run. But I knew that if I didn't go for a run, it would get way too hot to run later. So I did it. Sure it was slow (hill training), but I did it and I felt so much better for it.
You may also be bored with our workouts, so try something new, a new route even. Also talking about it helps.
Oh, they are popped and drained. They are just big and deep.
These were just casual flats, not running shoes. I hate shoes, and generally wear flip flops when I'm not running, but since the temps were low, I had to wear something a little more substantial.
My body is in a constant state of rebellion lately. I rest, take time, tell myself I won't lose what I've built up over time and then remember it is mind over matter and I want it badly.
That's the plan! I wish things were a little different, but not much I can do about it, so I might as well just enjoy the ride!
Eeek, super exciting!! Get some rest and relax, try not to stress – I know, easier said than done!
Me, too, Mer. Me, too. It's hard when you know you can do something, but maybe you shouldn't do it or shouldn't go at it with 110%. I try to remember that each experience is just a learning curve for the next. Can't go wrong with that.
A 1/2 in Florida? What's not to enjoy! Have a GREAT time!
Well. It will be 42. So there's that.
What a wonderful mantra, I am going to have to remember that one.
I hope that you begin to feel better and regardless of what happens are able to enjoy the race.
Mentally preparing myself for various scenarios helps me relax when there are extenuating circumstances I can't control but they affect me.
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It seems like a lot of people are having an off week. Maybe we all just need a breather 🙂 From what I've heard the ZOOMA Florida views are so great that you won't be thinking anything but happy thoughts! Good luck!!
It's really a beautiful area, and the course will be amazing. I'm very excited for all that.