04/10/2024
🏃🏻♂️➡️ It’s ok to take a break 🏃🏻♂️
*Long post alert*
Every time I see someone I haven’t seen for a while, I always get “still out running?”
For the last 10 years I have consistently been out, every month, ticking those miles off. I’ve always had a race booked - I’ve always been goal driven, with something to prepare for. There has always been the league races, midweek races and various other events in the calendar. I have always been consistently ticking over 20+ races a year to keep on track.
The last 18 months I’ve taken on a lot more responsibilities, with a LOT more things to do day in day out. The minimal free time, has well, gone completely.
When I won our club championship place for London Marathon I knew it would be very tough to get the training in. I planned out the key sessions needed to be in decent shape and race fit.
The issue that I found? Whilst I had the mental resilience to tick the miles off, my head wasn’t truly in it. Each run I had a million things to do swirling round, I always felt like I needed to get back to get things done. I really struggled to switch off from how busy I was.
This continued on through long runs and it’s draining. Like really draining.
When London didn’t quite go right, I took a big knock from it. I really struggled to squeeze those runs in and when it didn’t really “pay off” (especially through no fault of my own) I took a hit mentally.
I went and did Spire Ultra a month later. Again so much going off, my head really wasn’t in it. Due to this it took a lot longer than expected, I got back really late, I missed a 40th birthday party. Proper gutted.
I took some time out to reflect on these races, lifestyle and everything that is going on. I took the decision to ease off from running for a while, steadily tick over the miles, and focus on everything that’s going on.
Life has been more challenging and busier than ever for the last 6 months, which means the miles for me have been minimal. I have been very active (average 18K steps a day) but with no races planned, it’s been a bit of a break.
The good news - I have been doing loads of run coaching for 2024, with numerous PBs and goals smashed - it’s just not been mine!
The takeaway from all this? - It’s ok to take a break, reflect, reset, and then go again 🔥