Tuesday, December 21, 2010

I Want to See Other Races

Look, marathon, it's not you, it's me. I've just...well, maybe it is you. We've been together for a little over two years, and we had some really awesome times together (remember New York '09?) but lately I've been feeling like you don't really appreciate me. You haven't been very nice to me lately. I think...I want to take a break and see other distances. I'm sorry. I haven't been giving you the attention you deserve and that's not good for either of us. I'm not ruling out getting back together in the future, but right now I need some space to think about things and figure out what I really want from a relationship with you.

There's a hot little half marathon I want to date for a while, and some 10Ks hovering on the sidelines as well. Yeah, there are a lot of races competing for my attention, but you'll always have a special place in my heart, marathon.

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So, yeah. I'm breaking up with the marathon for an indeterminate amount of time. I've completed five of them, and I've come to the realization that running that far...

...basically sucks. Even when I'm in peak physical condition (Cleveland '09) it still sucks. Since I'm not a fan of purposely inflicting pain on myself, I've decided not to do it again for a good long while. Yes, I want to run Chicago, and I'd like to run NYC again, and I dream about completing all of the "big five" marathons (I need Chicago, London, and Berlin, having already done Boston and NYC), but I believe 2011 is going to be a marathon-free year.

I'm going to concentrate on:

1. Losing weight
2. Getting a little bit of my speed back
3. Running and racing for fun with friends and family

I know I will be back in Cleveland for the half marathon in May, but that's the only race I am positive I will be doing. Other possibilities include the Martian Half (April) and a half marathon in Ft. Wayne in September. There is also the usual slew of local 5Ks and 10Ks that I have been doing every year (Shamrocks & Shenanigans, Dexter-Ann Arbor Run). I will have plenty to do, and the prospect of spending the year free of a rigid training schedule is enough to make me feel giddy. The thought of not having to get up early on a Saturday to run 14 or 16 miles in frigid weather...? DO YOU KNOW HOW HAPPY THAT MAKES ME?

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My toe.

It is fucked up. I didn't say much else about it in my race report, but after peeling off my sock and peering at the digit, I realized something very bad had occurred. It's been 10 days since the race and it's not any better. I believe the nail is ingrown, it's infected, and still oozing a clear substance. It's extremely painful and makes walking difficult. I messed with it a little bit (poked it with a needle, peeled off some skin) which probably didn't help. I need medical assistance, but I will have to wait until next week after I return from Ohio.

Stupid toe.

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Alarming things you do not want to have happen in the middle of the night: being woken up by a loud, strange noise coming from one's toilet. It sounded like my toilet was about to erupt. I was too scared to lift the tank lid to see what was happening so I just turned off the water valve. It wasn't until I got up for work at 7:00 that I learned Chelsea had experienced a major water main break around 1:00 am, which sent a half million gallons of water into the woods on the east side of town. The break was repaired, but my pipes are full of air (hence the bubbling toilet and spitting faucets). We're under a boil water advisory for at least the rest of today. I have to go home and run my faucets to get rid of the rest of the air and restore the water pressure. What a hassle.

In other news: today is my last day of work for six days! I won't be back in Cube World until Tuesday the 28th!

I probably won't find anything to write about before Christmas, so have a great holiday weekend, everyone!

9 comments:

B. Kramer said...

Three cups of cheer for holiday vacation! If you can't drink your water, drink beer instead. I've still got until Thursday until I'm off, but it's a light week. Enjoy your break. Cheers!

Bri said...

Enjoy your holiday break, and your time-off from that grueling duel of mind and body called the marathon - you've done great things that few others have, you can rest and relax knowing that, and anyways you deserve it!

Nitmos said...

I'm basically down to one marathon a year. That's good number for me. It avoids over doing it.

Enjoy your other distances for awhile but you'll never forget your first love.

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

Look, marathon, it's not you, it's me. I've just...well, maybe it is you. We've been together for a little over two years, and [...] I think...I want to take a break and see other distances. I'm sorry.

You WHOO-WER!1! I want you to know Marathon was on the phone with me last night, IN TEARS, till 4 in the morning. We both ate cookie dough ice cream and trash-talked you and I told Marathon NOT to take you back when you come crawling back (and the state of that toe tells me you will be crawling) ... but, on the other hand, some of my best friends are whoo-wers, so good luck whoo-wering around.

And enjoy your time off! Drink good beer. Not Coors Lite!

Merry Christmas!

Laura said...

If you're looking to lose weight, I think this is a great decision. I've been reading a lot lately about how long distance running/excessive cardio can really hinder weight loss, in part because it burns off muscle instead of fat - so you end up with a soft "long distance" body. Not good at all! I'm trying to switch it up and focus on weights too, so maybe I'll start looking into some shorter races.

Re: the toe. DEFINITELY go see a doctor as soon as you can. Unless you want to be like me and Google various home remedies, freak out (toe cancer?! gangrene?!), and end up taking much, much longer to heal.

Maggs said...

yay for other races. You deserved different options.

Anonymous said...

Stupid toe...

I think it's OK to see other distances. My theory is that everyone has their own perfect distance and there is nothign wrong with that!

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

One thing that makes me real sad
(Cos however you view it, it's bad)
Is when bad mannered foax
Tell Mick lawyer jokes -
Why not just lick some pussy, like dad?


Man, if I had a nickel for every time I had to choose between telling an Irish Lawyer joke and licking pussy ...

I'm hoping this comment brings those same 4 people who came to my blog over to YOURS now.

Share the wealth is my motto.

BrianFlash said...

You'll be back - it is a sickness for us marathoners...

In the meantime, bring back the joy by running the best distance race there is - the half marathon!