Adjusting Goals and Sharpening Focus

Over the last few weeks, my training had been getting better, and I'd been feeling more confident. It's weird when you cannot do the things you feel like you should be able to do. But once you get your head around where you are, get real with yourself and then get to looking at where you want to go, things just become easier.

I've been able to complete some workouts here and there, but nothing to write home about. I've started to feel stronger, although nowhere near where I'm content to be.

With all that being said, other factors were bearing down that made me realize it was time to make a tough decision...one I'd thought about for weeks, but now it was time to really make the call. It was a tough decision, but I finally came to the conclusion that it was best to scratch the Chicago Marathon off my list for this year. I could make this a long post about why it was the best decision, but that's irrelevant at this point. Chicago is no longer going to happen for me, and it's turning out to be the best thing I could do for so many reasons.

So, now I've turned my focus to a couple of half-marathons, and getting faster again. The marathon, while it has become my true love in running, will have to wait a while... at least 12-months...maybe 18. Seems weird to say that, since my last marathon was 20 months ago. But it's just time for my brain to rest from that...and probably my body too. I've been putting too much pressure on myself to do things that, in all honesty, I was just not ready to do.

I'm in no way going to break any records the next time I step into a race...that's for sure. But it will be a big step for me. Probably bigger than most will know. My last race was June 6, 2010. Since then, it's been an up and down roller coaster ride. My next race may be coming here at the end of October.

We shall see. The only thing I do know is that I will no longer be flying out to Chicago to run the marathon. Time to get crackin' on getting competitive again.