Running lately . . . 

Running. Why does it feel so hard sometimes. Sometimes you have to strip away the running time goals and simplify.

And into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul.

For so many years I was chasing down my dreams of running the Boston Marathon. I had a very specific time goal and every run and training session was dedicated to inching closer and closer to making this goal a reality. I finally got my first qualifying time in 2012 and since then have had the chance to run Boston 4 times. I even re-qualified again this year although my time was only 30 seconds or so under what I needed. This meant that even if I had applied to run again this year I wouldn’t have gotten in. The cut-off necessary to get an entry for 2018 was actually 3:23 seconds under qualifying time. But you know what, I didn’t apply this year even before I knew the outcome. I have been running road marathons for so many years now that I needed to take a step back (at least for a moment) to regain my love for running.

After training through last years brutal winter in New Hampshire and fighting through an incredibly hot day in Boston last spring I was starting to feel burnt out. When I completed my half Ironman training and raced the White Mountains Triathlon I knew I was in a precarious place mentally with running. With the summer being discombobulated–buying a new house, a husband traveling almost every week, and then my sons broken elbow I never felt like I could find my running groove. My runs felt blah and I wasn’t loving being out there. Also, due to lack of childcare at times it felt like I actually ran on the treadmill more during the summer than I had all winter and spring.

Trail Running perfection

We are finally settled in our new house and with no immediate race goals set before me I decided my goal would be to run and explore the new area around me. I haven’t been looking at my watch much for pacing because at the moment I am running just to run. And you know what? It has been awesome! I have run more new places and trails than I have in a long time. I have been allowing myself more freedom to explore whereas in the past I often did not like to explore on my own. There are trails everywhere near our new house and this new community is so active. I have been rediscovering my love for the run with every mile. I have also been running some fun races–The Lost a Lot Trail Race in Lebanon, NH and the Ocean Roads 10K in Narragansett, RI. And last weekend was spent exploring the woods and Bradbury Mountain in Maine and doing yoga with nine awesome women at the Disconnection Retreat run by Crystal Seaver and Kait Johnson.  Next up, I am going to hopefully jump in and race the CHAD Hero Half in Hanover this weekend and then we’ll see what comes up next.

Before I was on my quest for Boston and before I had kids I had no set long term timeline with racing. I just picked races to do when it felt like a good time or when the race looked like fun and often went with friends. There was no pressure to be fast. I just wanted to get out and to move and to run and challenge myself. Oftentimes when you take the pressure off you have the best races. I am trying to get back to that feeling. One step at I time I am getting closer and am getting ready to set some new big goals!

Don’t miss my giveaway . . .

Don’t mis my Cabot Giveaway!

That’s right friends . . . don’t moove or you’ll miss my giveaway from Cabot Cheese! Head on over to read about the Cabot Fit Team adventures at EMMA Acres, a working dairy farm in Rhode Island and you can also enter to win a great prize box from Cabot Creamery Cooperative.

CLICK to ENTER the Cabot Gift Box Giveaway and of course there will be Cabot cheddar!!!!

What is your next adventure? How do you pull yourself out of a running slump?