Getting back on the Wagon

Running is, unfortunately, not like riding a bike. Just because you could run 15 miles nine months ago does not mean that you can do it today. There were two years between my first and second half-marathons, and when I started training the second time around it was as though I had never gone for a run a day in my life. Two miles was laborious. I kept at it because I KNEW I could run that distance. But there are not many things in your life where, if you stop doing it, you have to start again as a "beginner."

I feel like I am going through another "beginner" phase. After my first marathon this past November I did not have tons of motivation to go run long distances. I have been running consistently, but haven't managed to pull out more than 5 or 6 miles for my "long" runs. Now I find myself one week to the day away from the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half-Marathon, and I am feeling nervous. Due to triathlon training, I haven't gotten in as many long runs as I would have liked. With limited free time this spring I had to cut out a lot of runs in favor of the bike rides and swim sessions. I did a 9 mile run last weekend and it was tough. I had my camelback and walked a minute every mile (which feels a bit like cheating, but Hal Higdon says it's okay, so I'm going with it). I finished, but it didn't feel like 9 miles did this fall.

I realized recently (on a run when I'm usually thinking about these things-like why the hell am I doing this in the first place) I am going to have to keep running like this my entire life, if I want to avoid the "beginner" phase--which is the hardest phase to get through. I am going to have to run 15-20 miles a week (minimum) for the rest of my life. This is a daunting thought. Running is now part of who I am, and what I do. It has to become the same as taking a shower or cooking dinner (okay, maybe eating dinner). I know I want to stay on the wagon, because it is only going to get harder to get back on as I become older. So here is to being 50 and still being able to go out and run 10 miles, no sweat (and by default, here is to being 50 and being able to eat that second piece of chocolate cake). Let's keep running friends!

Abe Weintraub, 98, finishing the 5th Avenue Mile Run