Need, Want and Have To...

This week I started something I have never done before.  I have officially become a boot camper. That's right, Wednesday and Friday mornings, I drag my sleepy butt up at 4:30 AM so I can go torture myself at 5 AM.  Each day is a little different I have found. Wednesday is more like a traditional class type of setting, while Friday is more of stations that we rotate to and from.

The main thing that surprised me the most about boot camp was how sore I was afterwards. I am also liking the accountibilty aspect of this boot camp. The thing I hate the most is the stupid bands that go around your ankles and thighs, man do those suck. It has been a long time since I really worked legs too. All in all, its great, except for the 4:30 alarm.

If I am truly being honest though, I am enjoying waking up early, getting fit and still being done by 6:30 AM. And then, I get coffee!!

I still really like the weight room, and even had thoughts of hitting the weights after class, but I quickly found out that was not going to be happening! The hardest part is trying to fit in everything I want to do and everything I need to do and everything I have to do. Sometimes those lines can get pretty blurred if I let them. So sometimes I have to get up at 4:30 AM in order to get done what I want to do. I have to get to bed at a decent time because I need to be able to to get to work and do my job.  I want to be back in shape. I need my job to provide for my family. SO basically, I have to control what I can control...

It's all clear huh?

I have Committment Issues??

Not that kind. I think I have over commitment issues! Sept was Redman, October was Ragnar and now a marathon awaits me in December, and I am getting that burned out feeling that comes when one is tired. My original thinking was that I would be in such great shape coming off Redman that I should not waste it and just chug along into the marathon and Ragnar, but I forgot one very important thing.

I am not 25 anymore!   Not even close actually.

 

 

Maybe this is an excuse, or maybe I think I am more fit than I am, but I have had such a hard time getting motivated to train for this marathon I have coming up next month. All I really want to do is sleep and eat. I have gained a few pounds since Redman, but I feel like I can never get caught up on my sleep, which is why I think I have over done it and not given myself time to recover properly. But what exactly does "proper recovery" mean anyways? Am I mentally worn out from running or is it physical???

 

Active.com states that one should allow for 3-5 days for every hour of racing. So roughly a month and a half recovery for me?

 

Other websites I looked up said 4 weeks to recover from Ironman.

 

So,  maybe this is natural. Maybe it is longer for some or shorter for some, but I know I am in no way ready to run a marathon in 3 weeks. Yesterday I went out and ran 11 miles and mentally it was everything I could muster to get me to finish that 11 mile route. Forget speed or worrying about time, just finishing the run was a chore.

 

So with all this said, I think the smartest thing or me is to back down a step from the marathon and just run the half marathon.  I just do not think I have the desire or the "want too" to finish 26.2 miles, and I certainly do not want to slug through the miles. I do not think I would be "competitive" in my eyes, so this is the next best thing. After this is over, I think December will be pretty low key, as well as will 2014. I am not going to make any commitments to any races until after the new year.