Mile Posts: Run Like A Child: Race Yourself

Mile Posts: Run Like A Child: Race Yourself: It is easy to get caught up in the world. To fall victim to what we see in magazines, the Internet, the TV. Everyone wants to BE . Be be...


This link is a blog I follow, and she is a superfast runner (in my opinion). It was exactly what I needed to read today. I know that all runners go through ups and downs, and I'm not even sure I consider myself a "runner". I run 2-4 times a week, for 5-9 miles average. I do about one official 5K a month, and usually one unofficial 5K on my own. Here lately I have gotten so slow. For those of you who don't know me personally, I am a heavy runner - I recently lost 20 pounds and am still working on it, but I'm still 40 pounds heavier than I would like to be, and probably 50-60 pounds heavier than most super fast runners are (I know I will never be there, and have no false hopes of running a 9:00 mile) but I do know what I'm capable of, and have an idea of where I can be if I lose some more weight. When I used to run, I would feel light and sometimes I would feel like I could run forever. Now, I feel so heavy and sluggish and I'm struggling to keep up with where I used to be. As Dorothy's post said, I'm not competing with everyone else, I AM competing with myself and how I used to run, and that's the discouraging part. At my peak, a couple months ago, I was running 11:40 miles (which I know is not fast, but it's fast for ME!) now I struggle to run a 12:30 average mile, WITH walking. When I run, I can run a 11:45 - 12:00 mile pace, but I just don't have the endurance to keep it up more than 5 minutes. I don't know what's happened. I haven't gained any weight, though I have been eating more unhealthy lately. I was doing Weight Watchers, but I spent a week in Vegas and haven't gotten back onto my diet since then. I'm wondering if my eating habits are affecting my running. My plan is this week to drink no diet Coke (uuugggghhhh) and go back on the diet and see what happens. I have a 5K on Saturday, and I cannot imagine doing it running the way I am right now. I have 3 runs before then hopefully, so I'm going to take my friends advice and do a little speedwork. I really hope I don't disappoint myself on Saturday, and I'm dreading it, and I hate that. I used to get excited, and I guess I need to figure out how to get back there. I have been under A LOT of stress at work, so I think that may have something to do with it as well. If you're a runner and have ever dealt with this, please give me your tips as to how you got out of the rut. I would appreciate it!