How Heather Got Her Groove Back

One of the hardest things about running a half marathon is finding my groove again after I've taken time off to recover. This is obviously just as true, actually more so, after my marathon. I've read in many places that you should take off a day for recovering for every mile you do at your race. In the past I've never quite made it that long. After the marathon though, I knew I needed to make myself take a break. I had been in constant training, for one race or another, for 7 months. So I took a month off. I knew it would be hard getting back to it. I knew my speed wouldn't be what it had been. But I don't think I anticipated how rough it would be. My first run I was ready. I was excited. I felt good before I started, and I decided I was going to do 3 miles. Just half a mile into that one I knew I wouldn't make it to three. I finished two grueling miles and it took me about 25 minutes. That's nothing to frown about, it's just not the time/pace I had been used to seeing. And I hurt all over. Later that week a friend asked me to join her for part of her long run. I did 4 miles with her, but the only reason I kept going after 2 was because I had to get back to my car and I had hoped the sooner the better. It was long, and it was hard, and in my head I kept asking myself how in the world I did a marathon when I couldn't even do 4 miles without wanting to pass out on the side of the road.

Fast forward a couple weeks. I started regularly meeting with another friend to run a couple times a week. She has two little ones that we push in a jogging stroller. Since my friend hadn't run in quite a while, due to being pregnant and having a new baby, I told her that I'd push the stroller while she got back into it. It's a struggle, but a fantastic workout. It's been a little over a month since we started.

The last few weeks I've also started circuit training with a couple other friends. Last week I decided to get to the track a little early and do a little running before we started the circuit workout. On Monday I was shocked when I did one mile in 9 minutes. The couple solo runs I had done before this point I was still averaging about 10 minute miles. Which I'm happy with, but sometimes I just like seeing my pace in the 9's. I missed it. So I was thrilled when I saw that 9 minute time. It wasn't for three miles, but it was still nice to see. On Tuesday while running with the stroller Amy and I cut our pace down by about 20 seconds per mile and Thursday was even better. The best part though, was Wednesday when I got to the track early for my pre-circuit run. I had only hoped for about half a mile before my friends arrived, but as I circled the track each time, they weren't there yet. I was finishing one mile as my friend was walking to our meeting area. I stopped Runkeeper and looked down to see what my time was. And started crying. I had just run my fastest mile ever. One mile in 8:30! I don't think I could have kept that up, but I was thrilled!! Who knows if I'll ever do that again. And if I do, who knows if I'll be able to maintain it for longer than a single mile. But it doesn't matter. I felt fantastic.

I am excited about running again.

I can kick out those rotten thoughts that have been littering my mind, telling me I wasn't made for running.

I got my groove back.