Monday, November 16, 2009

The Weekend Report: To 10k or not to 10k?

Good news and bad news this weekend. Let’s start with the bad.

I was supposed to race a 10k on Sunday. But I didn’t.

I’ve been having hamstring issues for quite a while now. Usually it’s just a minor annoyance…not a major problem. But recently it’s gotten worse and worse. I went for a run Friday night (retrospectively a poor choice). On Saturday, there was absolutely no way I was going to run. I spend all day undecided about the race: Should I run? Should I not run? My hamstring hurts…but maybe it’ll be ok…but then maybe it won’t. Am I being a coward by not racing? Am I being stupid for racing? And on and on and on. Good thing I have patient friends.

I decided that I would go about my day as if I were racing the next morning, just in case. And going to bed Saturday night, I actually thought, Yes. I’m running. Let’s do this.

I woke up at 6am Sunday morning, rolled out of bed, and started the coffeemaker. And then I paused, mid-kitchen, and just thought for a few moments. And luckily came to my senses.

Sidenote: Normally on race days, I wake up with serious pre-race jitters. Ohmygod, what am I doing? Why am I a runner? I can’t do this! – all normal thoughts for me. But then I get over myself and go run. But sometimes those jitters are actual intelligent thoughts coming my way. So it was this weekend.

Back to my “epiphany:” 

Standing mid-kitchen at dark-o-clock Sunday morning, I realized, There is absolutely no way I am racing today. I almost laughed out loud at myself for thinking that racing was ever a good idea! I mean really, I limped to my kitchen to make coffee to get ready for my 10k??? That’s absurd.

I walked to the Tidal Basin to watch the race anyways – which some people might argue is even more absurd…but whatever. I enjoy watching races, even when I’m not running in them! 

I met a friend at the race, and picked up my race T-shirt and a couple mini Luna Bars (is that wrong?). The T-shirt is a nice long-sleeve. Unfortunately it is quite ‘Merrcan (say that with a hill-billy accent), which could lead people in this very political city to mistake my partisan leanings…but oh well. I’m always in for free stuff!

So where it the good news in all that? Well, I finally took my own very good advice. I am taking the week off. No running for me. This means that, a) my hamstring will have time to think about what's it done and fix its mistakes, and b) I will have a ridiculous quantity of spare time this week…want to hang out? And distract me from the fact that I’m not running?

Overall, good decisions made on my part. Someone come and give me a high-five, while I sit at my desk and cry into my last bag of candy corn.

And as for my 10k debut? Well, there's another one in the same place in December!!!