Happy Weekend. It’s been a heck of a week for me. I’ve been ready for the weekend, since about Monday, so I’m glad it’s here!
I’ve been working on a post in my head a bit after reading Train Like a Mother. First off, all my mom friends should order this book if you don’t already have it, or at least check out the website regularly. Anyhow, there was a little segment about doing less. I am the first to admit I love big run days. I love 20 milers on a Saturday. I love a hard 7-8 mile run in the morning, and a hard yoga class in the evening. I miss the days I could do a run in the morning, then go mountain biking after work (seriously, can you imagine doing that now?). But when is it too much?
Just being honest here, but I sometimes read the schedules of my bloggy friends and gasp. How can some of you not be tired with 2 or even 3 workouts most days? Doesn’t mean I don’t love y’all by saying this, but I just don’t know if that’s sustainable. I look back at my ultra running days, and doubt I could have sustained what I was doing. 3 tough yoga classes a week. 30 milers on weekends. 7 hour runs. Seriously, who does that? Well, ultrarunners, that’s who, and a lot more in many cases. Maybe it’s doable when you don’t have young children, but (and once again, just being honest), I really don’t know how people with young children do over 3 hours of working out a day.
My point is not to criticize. I am still trying to find my happy balancing point of family, work, and being a decent runner. I don’t think I have the time to put in to be a good runner, so I will settle for decent. And, to me decent also means taking care of some non-running stuff: the core work, the stretching, the endless yoga lunges. But I often try to remind myself that life is not fun if you are tired all the time. My friend Laura, just did a great post about how several moms fit it all in, and she does say you can’t fit it all in…you must let go of what is left undone. I think we all struggle with this!
I also really have started to come at my running with a masters runner perspective. I need to run smarter than I used to if I want to be running for the long haul. I truly do think that at this point in my life, I don’t need more miles, but rather more of the “other stuff”: core work, stretching, some biking, yoga. This is the part I really am trying to improve, but realistically for me these things mostly happen in short 15-20 minute segments, and I’m learning to be ok with that. Not everything in life has to happen in one hour segments.
So be nice to yourself. Find some inspiration from those who don’t do mega miles, but are still successful. Running Times has some great masters’ profiles featuring some runners who run pretty sensibly.
And on that note, I will be sensible and curl up in bed now with a new magazine and attempt some rest!