Spring Motivation

Just as we are starting to come into the spring season, I find that I'm also starting to come out of a hibernation of sorts. I haven't posted on here since my Twin Cities Marathon recap (10/9/15), largely because I have not had much to share! To be honest (and I think us runners can always do that with each other), I have ran very little over the past 4-5 months.

I am a firm believer in rest (both physical and mental), and although I try to give myself a 1-2 week break between "seasons", I think giving yourself permission to choose whether you want to run or not on any given day (over a period of time) is invaluable.  That is what I've been doing since Twin Cities. I've had some weeks where I haven't ran a step, but most weeks' mileage varies between 10 and 20 miles (4-5 days) with a max of 32 and a long run of 10.

This break has allowed me a chance to physically recover (while focusing on stretching, core and weights), but importantly, I have been able to mentally recover from running. It's a sabbatical of sorts that really seems to light a fire to my passion for running. Of course, I still have plenty to fill my day without running, but lately I find myself missing the race preparation and the training cycle (I mean, who couldn't go for a 2-mile tempo right about now?).

When I get to this time of year, I always think of track. I used to say, and still do, "it smells like track season".  The competitiveness of track is what I think first got me interested in running. Of course now, I enjoy running for what it is, regardless of where I finish in a race (or if I'm even in a race!).  Many people enjoy the scenery of cross country or the camaraderie of a marathon, but for me, racing on a track will always be my favorite thing. Thanks for letting me be a little sentimental about track today!

Happy Running!

Logan

---