Forgive Me While I Pout

My first race of the year was supposed to be this weekend. It was supposed to be my first half marathon. But, due to my back injury, that got nixed. So, I settled on a new race. It's called Run WITH the Law and it benefits the Special Olympics. It's a very small race (only 1.6 miles), it isn't being sanctioned by any of the local running groups. There aren't fancy chip timers and aid stations. But, it is for a good cause and we are only the second city in Kansas to take part. And guess what? I, being the golden child I am, have managed to come down with an upper respiratory infection just days before. Loverly. So, no running for me. I will still participate because I had some gracious donors. But, it won't count towards my 12 in 12.

On a happier note, I would like to wish all of my friends luck who are participating in marathons and half marathons from Canada to Oklahoma City and many places in between. You are all inspirations and maybe one day I can grow up and be like you!

In a Funk

I wish I had some great news to tell. I wish I had something inspiring to say. I wish I had a running report. But, I have none of these things. Apparently, I am in a running funk. I WANT to get out there and run my arse off, but I have no motivation. I get home in the mornings, take the kids to school and am just too exhausted to get myself back out the door. When I started this insanity back in July I would go out at 3 am. Yes, for real. I work third shift, so 3am is when I took my "lunch". I didn't have to deal with people on the track pointing and laughing...er...being in the way, so it was perfect. When I started running longer distances and wanted to get away from running in circles, traffic was minimal and all I had to worry about was my officers jumping out and scaring me. But, now I work by myself most nights, so I don't get a lunch break. And when I do, it's been too cold to get out. Now, instead of being conditioned to get out every day, I am sunk into the funk. Yuck. I have my first race the end of this month and am nowhere near ready for it. It's only a little over a mile, but it might as well be marathon. I don't know why this has become so daunting to me; why something I enjoy has become something I can't get into. I read all of these race reports from my friends or other bloggers and get pumped. Then I get home and it fizzles. I've bought books on how to coach myself and how to run better and faster and smarter, but I find myself distracted when I start to read them. I want to be excited to run again. I want my body to start getting antsy as 3am approaches because it knows that freedom is near. But here I sit; sunk in my funk and not sure how to get out.