I’m scaling back my running this Summer. It seems like the perfect time to give my body some rest from the long mileage. The timing coincides perfectly with the hot & sticky Summer months of Atlanta too. There tends to be less races offered in the Summer, so it works out well for me.
From Summer 2014 to April 2016, I was half marathon ready at any given point. There was a luxury to signing up for a half marathon at the last minute. Or owning the bragging rights to “I run a half each month.” So this Summer will be quite the change for me.
Just a few of the races from this year…
Sometimes, in the past, I’ve missed the long mileage or felt like I’ve lost some fitness, but this year it’s been a welcomed break for my body.
I’m a month into cutting back. I’ve gone from “half marathon ready” to “5k ready”. While it was scary at first to let the mileage slip, I’ve learned some advantages to giving my body a break.
My Plantar Fascitis is GONE. This is a huge relief to me. It developed during WDW Marathon training and it was (literally) such a pain! I credit cutting mileage and no longer running consecutive days, to my relief.
I can also focus on cross training more than I usually do. Let’s face it, running 10+ miles takes a chunk out of your day. But 20-30 minutes of cross training is all I need to see a difference. The time trade-off is huge, when I’d rather be playing with JP. The pool will be calling my name this Summer and I plan to dedicate myself to a lounge chair! Just being honest here…
More time for popsicles on the porch…
Lastly, my hunger levels have gone back to normal. This was something that peaked during marathon training, but I was ravenous. It’s nice knowing I won’t have hunger pains after a workout. I also can’t fall into the mind frame of “I ran 12 miles, so I can eat ______ (cake, cookies or a tub of ice cream ?).
If you’ve never given yourself a break from long distance running, or it’s been a few years like me, give it a try. You may be surprised at how your body reacts.
I know I’ll be adding the miles back on this Fall…one step at a time. I’ve got the Jeff Galloway half marathon on my race calendar again this year. That’ll be my motivation & focus, when I’m ready.