Hiatus.

If you follow me on Facebook or Daily Mile, you no doubt usually see postings from me about my runs.  It's a good way to keep track of mileage, pace, calories and all of the wonderful trappings that go along with running.  It's easy to get sucked in and become uber competitive with yourself.  Usually, that's a good thing.  It pushes you to do your best and to keep going.  Until it starts to become self-deprecating.  You find that you're not going farther, faster, or giving it your all.  And then you start to loathe it.  And then you fall off the wagon.

Running has done amazing things for me.  It helped me refocus my life when I really needed it.  It has helped to keep weight off for almost 2 years.  It has helped reorganize the thoughts in my brain and figure out where my priorities are.  Unfortunately, running has also started to deteriorate me.  Mentally and physically.  I constantly try to beat my previous times.  That's not a bad thing, but when you start to internally berate yourself, then it's time to take a break.  My knees have always been weak, but now my hips are starting to cry out a little more than normal.  My solution for the time being is: hiatus.

I'm not giving it up...rather, refocusing on doing other exercises.  I am signed up to run the Honolulu Marathon in December and this will be my last full marathon.  I had wanted to Big Sur at some point, but realistically, I don't think it will happen.  I don't know that my body could handle training for another full without cracking with an injury.  Maybe it could and maybe my body will surprise me and still have room in the tank after training for Honolulu.  I need to train my body in lower impact/high cardio exercises to help make up for the pavement pounding.  Elliptical and swimming will most likely become my BFFs until it is time to start seriously training for Honolulu.  I think it's a wise decision at this point.  I just need to keep it in check and not give up on exercising completely.  It's really easy to fall off the wagon completely.  I'm only halfway off right now.  :)