This week just got away with me, though that’s not completely different from the previous ones, but I still keep getting surprised by it. 

Luckily, I sometimes get pockets of time, like once a week, where instead of catching up with stuff like, for example, my inbox where there are lots of emails that are over a month old, or opening the December Runners World magazine or any book I started in the last year, or un-messing my apartment, I just lay there, doing absolutely nothing. Nothing. I think having those non-productive times is the only thing that keeps me sane. Even if I keep seeing piles and lists everywhere. And I have no guilt about it.

But, as crazy as it is, it’s perfect. There is always time for the important stuff and the running is high up there.

I am running the NYC Half next month, on March 18. It’s the first race I ever did, in 2006, and I run it a bunch times after. Then I gave up on it so I am quite exited to go back to my first love. I know I won’t PR, and it will be a struggle to come back to racing, after a messy 2011 NYC marathon where I had barely trained, as I haven’t been in great shape for the last 6 months. But I am looking forward to it nonetheless. And my plan seems to be working.

Instead of re-injuring myself constantly for getting back on the horse too soon and too fast, I had set some rules mid January, when I started back up, to keep me constrained. No more than 20 (25?) miles a week (until NYC Half) and no runs longer than 10 miles. Ok, so I’ve slipped a little (I did 12 yesterday) but it was still a good idea to focus on short and right (form-wise) instead of long and whatever. One month in, I am feeling very comfortable with where things are in such little time. I did amazing hill sprints this week. Not my fastest, but really strong. Yesterday, I was able to keep up with Blaise and Patricia (who is a beast that did a 3:23 in hot Chicago last year) for over half of their long run. All very promising. I just need to find the very thin area where I feel accomplished and challenged but not overly confident to go crazy and mess it up. Not easy for someone like me!