I anxiously put on my running stuff and then dragged my feet for a bit, finding random things to do around the house. I was nervous about going out because I kept thinking....what if it hurts, what if it feels like it did when I just started running? What if I've forgotten how to run??
Sounds silly, I know. But for some reason I always feel that way after a break.
Maybe it's because...it took me so long to get where I am now. I ran for about a year before I attempted my first 10K, and 14 months before my first half marathon.
Maybe it's because...I took about 2 months off after my first half marathon, leaving me little time to prepare for my next race. I had to scramble a bit to get back up to speed. And it was tough!
Maybe it's because...I had to stop running for about 6 months after an injury. And when I did start running again it really was like starting from scratch. Almost like I'd never run before.
Maybe it's because...running, specifically improving and getting faster, has never been easy for me. It's been small steps all the way. And if I take a break, I might move two steps back after busting my ass just to move up one.
But eventually I did head out, and ran 3 miles along the seafront. Still feeling tired and going quite slow, I was happy to find that I DID remember how to run. As easy as putting one foot in front of the other. And while it wasn't how I felt a week ago, it felt great nonetheless.
I know that breaks from running will be inevitable, but I don't know if I'll ever stop worrying about it when it happens. But when it does, I'll remember how amazing it feels when I'm running at my best...because that is definitely something I can never forget. And worth the pain of trying to get there again.
Maybe it's because...I took about 2 months off after my first half marathon, leaving me little time to prepare for my next race. I had to scramble a bit to get back up to speed. And it was tough!
Maybe it's because...I had to stop running for about 6 months after an injury. And when I did start running again it really was like starting from scratch. Almost like I'd never run before.
Maybe it's because...running, specifically improving and getting faster, has never been easy for me. It's been small steps all the way. And if I take a break, I might move two steps back after busting my ass just to move up one.
But eventually I did head out, and ran 3 miles along the seafront. Still feeling tired and going quite slow, I was happy to find that I DID remember how to run. As easy as putting one foot in front of the other. And while it wasn't how I felt a week ago, it felt great nonetheless.
I know that breaks from running will be inevitable, but I don't know if I'll ever stop worrying about it when it happens. But when it does, I'll remember how amazing it feels when I'm running at my best...because that is definitely something I can never forget. And worth the pain of trying to get there again.
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