After about two years of dragging my feet, not only things are starting to feel like old times again, but I FEEL it, I really feel strong.

My last PR was in May 2013, I was racing well until then. Then, UGH, things just went downhill fast, I was sick with a bunch of things and lost all muscle (and a lot of weight) and had an ulcer, way too many not fun things, add getting married and a really cold winter and my head was really somewhere else: I totally gave up. At this point last year, I had stopped running completely for a few-months stretch. I couldn’t care less and I wasn’t ashamed about it.

 

By July (2014) I started to pick it back up, training consistently. I was a bit motivated, or mostly scared that the NYCM was around the corner, but I didn’t have goals, never felt like I was in shape and the races showed it. My NYC Marathon was a slow awful unmotivated mess (at 3:49) and I just felt my heart wasn’t in there.

 

I decided to back of the distance. I think that did it. After so many years of marathoning, it was hard to accept that it just wasn’t my thing anymore, or for now, but it is what it is. Why would I keep doing something that is not working?

When winter approached, I feared I’d go back to hibernation, like I had done -HARD- last winter. Winter just sucks the life out of me. Maybe I have SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or something but I always feel like my body can’t handle the cold.

Somehow, things turned and I went on the offensive. The colder it was, the crazier the workout. Here’s a lot of the stuff we did, to top it all off with 10 miles in the middle of one of the last snowstorms. I really did push it a lot. It’s cold? I’m running! It’s really really cold? I am doing speedwork!! I won. Screw you, Winter!

Then the NYC Half happened and I went a LOT faster than I thought I could. Plus, I had such a good time…  can’t you tell? Lots more pictures here.

Not a PR but felt so good (did about 1:39) to be able to fly a bit. The Scotland 10K this past weekend was great too. Even though here I look like death: it was the last 100 meters!!!!!

The best part of this all is that, not only I see things are coming together racing-wise, but I FEEL IT. I FEEL STRONG. I feel fit. I see my muscles, My weight is where it hadn’t been in a few years, my legs are back, I have the desire and the goals, I have a method… It all just came together. FREAKING FINALLY.

I set three micro-goals for this year, and I am NEVER the type that has resolutions.

– Speedwork at least once every week (cause, DUH, but I was never so strict about it)

– At least 100 miles a month (which is not much, but given my last two years, it’s a stretch!)

– Drills and Plyometrics at least once a week (because sometimes I always skip them!)

So far, so good, 3 months in! I am racing pretty much every weekend, and I am excited about it. I’d hope to get to a PR sometime later this year, but my goal is to PR at the half distance. I have a few slated for the Fall, Newport and Staten Island (with the Brooklyn Half in 4 weeks too). My PR is 1:37 and NYC Half was 1:39 so I am not that far off. I am excited. Giving up the long runs has turned it all upside down, and made me so much more excited. Like a LOT. bye bye LSD!!! It also really helps that I have a lot of people do speed with now. I am doing intervals every week and then either a race or a race effort run, or a hard tempo where my husband paces me. Which, seriously, SO much fun. I am ready for this racing year. No excuses. Bring it on.