First most important thing: Today is the last day to order I Heart Sweat shirts in order to ensure delivery by Christmas morning. So if you’re thinking the perfect present for your aunt, uncle, cousin, sister, brother or Jewish step-cousin is a sweat-loving piece of Dry-Fit, I suggest you get on it. Click here to place your order. Have a blast.
There are still plenty of size and color options left for men and women. But remember: You snooze…
…you lose.
Unless you’re Tyler. Tyler never loses.
In other news, Zero Week is going great. As much as I always preach about loving running, right now I’m here to preach about loving not running.
I realize it’s only been three days out of the Brooks and away from the Bridle, but so far so good. For the most part, I haven’t missed running or craved it or been dying to get out there.
Not running on Monday was easy. It was my first mile-less day in a while and I knew I wanted it and needed it.
Not running on Tuesday was easy, too, even when I read this from my friends in midtown:
Then Wednesday arrived. I was tired this morning, but I was signed up for a spin class. It was one of the toughest classes I’ve ever taken. I pranced out of the spin room (prance is a strong word — “limped and whined and dripped pools of sweat everywhere on my way out” is a more accurate description) thinking that was way more fun than running in the cold.
My first “I miss running a tiny bit” twinge came soon thereafter, though, when I read this Tweet:
For a split second I was like, “ME, DEANNA! ME! I WILL RUN 12 MILES TODAY!”
But I got over it pretty fast.
I know 12.12.12 will never happen again in my lifetime.
I also know that this break is so good for me right now, and it’s going to be so good for me in the days, weeks and months of running to come.
I may not run on this oh-so-special numerical day.
I may also opt out of signing up for the billions of races that are offering deals today…
…but I’ll sign up when I’m ready. And I’m just not ready yet.
I’m liking this.
BUT I KNOW YOU’RE STILL OUT THERE RUNNING AND RACING: Are you signing up for anything today? It seems like everyone is offering a deal here, a sale there, a giveaway and a puppy. No, just kidding. I would definitely enter a puppy giveaway. But really, tell me: Have you committed to any late winter or spring races?
34 Responses
This is how I felt after training for my first half marathon, haha. It was nice not having running constantly on my mind for a bit!
I almost jumped on the race deals bandwagon as well, but evidently decided against it. Have fun on your running hiatus!
Not signing up for anything until I’m 100% healed – doing some short slow training runs here and there and it feels good to just run without a race, plan etc hanging in the background.
I’m taking off this week too, plus maybe a little more. You really will come back stronger and you never lose as much fitness as you think. I also don’t put a max on my time off; I place a minimum of 7 days and start again once I feel the itch to run again! Not itching yet…
I’m training for a half marathon on New Year’s Eve, but not that seriously. If I have to choose between training and something holiday-related, I’m choosing friends and family. But since I only discovered my love of running this year, it seemed like a great way for me to finish the year, especially since I’ll be in my home state so my parents can cheer for me!
No new running/racing commitments…just a 5 mile trail race on the 30th (my first trail race/second ever trail run). Still trying to decide on a spring Half. I’m thinking Oakland CA but Oakland is San Francisco’s armpit so I’m struggling to get enthused.
I’m signed up for a half in Chicago next month but I’m really hoping my ankle isn’t busted….and even though the weather has been warm – well, warmer than usual – I have 0 motivation to train. possible problem.
Not training for a marathon is the best! Last weekend I said to Brian: “I am so glad I do not have to run 18 or 20 or 22 miles this weekend.” Instead I slept in and ate delicious brunch and watched Homeland, season 1. On that note…I have signed up for some Spring races, but haven’t started training for them yet. That’s for after the New Year I think.
My non-running activity recommendation? Core Fusion! It will make you sore, but in a good way. It really works your core and glutes, so I tell myself it’s making me a stronger runner. 🙂
I’m in the same boat as you, I want to do a spring race, maybe a marathon (maybe Eugene), maybe just a half, or maybe just a bunch of 5Ks/10Ks I am just not ready to sign up yet because signing up means committing and I am not ready to commit myself to a specific race. So, no, I am not signing up for anything today just contemplating what to sign up for.
I took advantage of the 12 off deal…mainly because I was planning to run the NJ Marathon already!
I promised myself I would take it easier this spring with racing but ummm there are 2 marathons, 3 halfs, 10 miler and a couple 10K’s planned already. Oops.
Now I really really want to run 12 miles today, even though I am not really in the shape to do it.
ALSO I SIGNED UP FOR THE PARIS MARATHON YESTERDAY I AM SO EXCITED
I am running my first ever half marathon with Team Challenge this summer!
I’m signed up for the DC Half in March, and Big Sur in April, but I’m actually seriously on the hunt for a marathon in January or February as my #redemptionrace. Debating either Arizona, Austin, or something in Phoenix called the Lost Dutchman…
I’m currently training for a 25k trail race in the San Juan Islands of Washington on January 26th. Apparently it has 3300 feet of elevation gain! eeeks!! Kind of wishing I could take a zero week this week as well because the weather in Seattle right now is not very running friendly and the trails are super muddy! Splish Splash!
I’m regretting signing up for the Rock’n’Roll Arizona half on 1/20. Trying to legit train during the month of December is really hard. SO MANY PARTIES AND COOKIES AND WINE. And it’s cold and I hate the treadmill. BAH HUMBUG.
As a resident of Utah, I can attest that the Salt Lake City Marathon isn’t that much fun. The Ogden Marathob If you can hold off on a spring marathon, there’s the Utah Valley Marathon in June that is a beautiful (and primarily downhill course) as you run through canyons, waterfalls, etc. You could also do the July 24th marathon in Salt Lake City as part of the state holiday, Pioneer Day . Course is entirely downhill (3500 ft elevation drop!): http://deseretnewsmarathon.com/course-maps/
Last part of the marathon runs through a parade route, so you have an instant cheering section who have been camped out all night.
As non-running bonuses, you and Brian can go mountain biking or hiking or other fun activities in nearby Park City — beautiful hotels, dirt cheap since it’s off-season. Or rent a car and drive down to Southern Utah with national parks galore.
Happy non-running in the meantime!
I’ve mentally committed to running a 30K in January (18.6 miles) as a training run for my first marathon that I’m running in February. I haven’t paid for either of these races yet, but I’ve already got them on the calendar and am telling people to come cheer me on! I ran a half-marathon as part of my training this weekend and I’m itching to toe the starting line of another race.
I’ve signed up for a half in March, and a very early sign up to a Spartan run in August!! Tough Mudder is so expensive to sign up for!!
I briefly flirted with the idea of registering for Rock and Roll Philly today, but I’m not 100% sure I want to run that race for the third year in a row (it’s a good race, but I want to check out some other fall halfs). Still not committing to any spring races. I’m in the lottery for Cherry Blossom, so depending on how that turns out I’ll start figuring out my 2013 calendar.
I have definitely learned to embrace non-running days. More often than not, the first run back feels AMAZING!
I’m running the Hot Chocolate 10k on Randall island this weekend! Mainly for the hot chocolate 🙂
I didn’t realize companies were offering special deals today, have to look into this! No winter or spring races for me, I don’t do well in cold weather. It makes running that more awesome for me when I resume it in the spring though.
Oh man I wish I had the time and endurance to run 12 miles on 12/12/12, that sounds pretty cool. I haven’t even been running 12 miles a week lately. I entered the lottery for the NYC Half a while ago, but now I’m hoping I don’t get in because I possibly have a stress fracture in my foot. Of course, the fact that I’m hoping I don’t get in probably means that I will!
No late winter races yet, but I might do a 5k or 10k as part of the training for my first half at the end of April. I’m excited to sign up for it, but they aren’t offering a deal today! Boo.
Enjoy the rest – you deserve it! I just registered for a May half marathon the other day. Looking forward to it already!
I’m running the Miami Marathon on the last weekend of January. Looking forward to warm weather, a flat-ish course, and an awesome Garmin tan.
Enjoy your run break. Come February, I am planning on spending all my time resting on the couch.
Just getting back into running from a long hiatus, but (verbally) committed to running the Big Lake Half around Lake Winnipesaukee in May… yippee!
Signed up for the Shamrock Half in Virginia Beach! Finally going to crush the shit out of sub-2. I should probably go find a training plan. Sorry I used rude language on your blog. Can I also tell you that they are opening up a spin studio where I live? We don’t have any! I’m so excited to get into that again!!
I am also loving my non running!!! I am having tons of fun doing all those classes at my gym I’ve never done! It is a blast!!! I’m doing a ballet burn class tomorrow! I was going to do a Spring Marathon but now I’m rethinking.
There are so many deals today! I am running my first marathon next year; the Richmond marathon! Woot Woot!! So nervous and so excited!!
Run the Colorado Marathon. I think it’s like 1300 feet of decline!
I loved Utah on our visit out there in June when I ran Utah Valley Marathon, but I was told by a lot of runners there that the SLC Marathon is really not fun, total uphill to the capital….so think of that. Or not, because really, Utah was so beautiful I’d go back and run uphill, but wait, I was supposed to be leaving a helpful comment…
Yikes, really? The elevation chart looks like it’s a mostly downhill course except for at the very end which, yes, would suck. I’ll have to do some more thorough research. Though my main concern in going out there would be running at elevation. I’m not sure how much that would affect me. Thanks for the tip!
Surprisingly, the elevation didn’t bother me much! Before we planned the trip, I made sure to find out the best strategy for prepping my body for the thinner air and from what I found, you want to get there RIGHT BEFORE the race (like day before) or like 1 week before, as most people suffer from alt sickness on the second/third day.