Looking for direction....

[sharon1978]

So I went and did something a month ago which seemed like a good idea at the time...I signed up for my first marathon.

I have done a number of half's and was getting to the point where I needed a new challenge. I knew I would do one at some point but my hand got forced a bit as I had wanted to get into the training for a month or two before committing to actually signing up, but numbers filled up as the day was changed, so I signed up an hour before the race filled.

At the time I was grateful that I did as I know so many others were disappointed but now there have been a number of occasions where I wished I hadn't signed up. I used to really enjoy my long Sunday runs and missed them when our running group didn't do them. But I never felt like I truly got into the distance runs during the week, I'd just about got to the point where I was reasonably happy then my enthusiasm took a complete nose dive.

I resented how much of my time it was taking and felt like I was working running or feeling guilty about not running enough. So last Sunday week I did my long Sunday run of 17 miles, it was fine - I haven't had any problems with actually running my long runs, but I haven't been out since. I have a half marathon this Saturday and I suppose I am wondering where to go from here?? The marathon is the last weekend in October. Has anybody else ever got to this point with their training or how did they turn around their thinking?? Sorry its a bit of a long post. I'd really appreciate any advice to help me out at this point because I fear that my confidence and my pride will take a plummet if I don't do it! Thanks

[Rainbowsmurf]

Can't help I'm afraid as no where near able to think about a HM let alone a marathon but I wondered if you'd seen the Marathon forum: healthunlocked.com/marathon...

[sharon1978 in reply to Rainbowsmurf]

Thanks a mil I put it up on both forums as bridge to 10k is a lot bigger. I think that everyone goes through so I was looking for peoples experience from that perspective as well as on the distance. Thanks Happy running!

[Rainbowsmurf in reply to sharon1978]

Good luck with the HM by the way!

[sharon1978]

Ah thanks I am finally trying to muster up as much positivity as possible, originally I had hope for a pb at this but will just have to get out there and do as well as I can!

[runswithdogs Graduate10]

Perhaps a few extra days off is in order? Or cross train for a week instead? I don't run anywhere near that distance, but I burn out if I push myself too hard to keep improving, keep upping the distance. And then I stop running altogether, not just running longer distances.

Can you get out and do some fun runs instead of runs according to the plan?

Of course there is no shame in changing your mind about a race either. I've changed the distances on a few of my races because I wasn't that into running for as long as I had signed on for.

[sharon1978]

Thanks for that, in a nut shell I am very similar to you. I took a 10 days off which is a bit long but I went out last night and did a very soggy 5 mile but I enjoyed it and was happy to have gotten up and out. Getting the fun back into it is certainly sound advice as I have been doing a lot of my runs on my own since I started the dreaded marathon training.

I did seriously consider not doing it as I was so cheesed off with it but I don't want to regret not doing it and my pride risks a serious bashing. There is no option to go to say a half marathon distance unfortunately its all or nothing - I am doing that half marathon as part od the same series this Saturday. Thanks for the advice and happy running!!