What do you do when you feel like quitting a training cycle?

[biomaj5]

I'm training for a mid-September marathon. I had also planned to do an October ultra, but I'm about 95% sure that I want to do the Hotter'n Hell Hundred century ride in August instead (I don't have time to train for both the ultra and century ride). But lately, I've been questioning even doing the marathon. My runs are not really going well. It seems like if it's not one thing that hurts, it's another, kwim? I've been fighting pain in my left foot and tightness in my calves lately. Earlier this year, it was pain in my right hip. The right side has resolved itself, and now the left is acting up. My calves were so tight on my run last Thursday that my 6 mile run was not a good time (not pain, but oh so tight). On Saturday, I had a minor bike wreck, so my left hip is still sore from that. I ran 12 miles on Sunday morning, and while it wasn't a great run, it wasn't too terrible. My hip hurt for the first 3-4 miles and then shut up. Yesterday, though, I was supposed to do 3 miles and only managed one. Part of that was because my sports bra was rubbing on a sunburn, but my calves were ridiculously tight again.

I feel like everything has been falling apart ever since the RT66 Marathon in late Nov. I took a 5 week running break after that, and ever since, I've had one issue after another. I stopped training for the spring marathon because of it, and now I'm thinking about not doing my fall marathon too. I'm just really discouraged On one hand, the thought of stopping training, taking maybe a 1-2 week running break, and then going into a 3 runs/week or so maintenance plan sounds great. But on the other hand, this would be 2 training cycles in a row that I've bailed, and I hate that. Idk if I should maybe take a few days off and think about it, or suck it up and not give up. Has anyone been here? What did you do? If you kept going, how did you regain confidence and motivation?


Sorry for venting, but I tried to tell all of this to DH and he just gave me a blank stare. Meh.

[sweetiesparkles]

I am such a beginner and cannot comment with any applicable experience but my gut would say to do the August century ride instead. Even if you get through training without further injury you still will not be passionate enough about the fall marathon.

Good luck!

[biomaj5]

I meant that the century was in place of the ultra, so I'd do century and then marathon a few weeks later, rather than marathon and then an ultra a month later.

They haven't even announced the exact date for the marathon yet (I hate disorganized races like that!), so maybe that's also part of the lack of motivation. I'm guessing that it'll be Sept 14, based on last year's date. I haven't signed up and there's no exciting build up. I hate to quit 2 training cycles in a row because I'm so competitive with myself, but sigh. There is a half marathon on Oct 6 that I have done for 2 years now and planned to do this year, so maybe I could just focus on rocking the half and then look forward to a spring marathon.

[kams]

If it's an issue of pain, get that sorted out and then reevaluate if you can do the races you have planned.

If it's motivation, boredom, or other mental issues, I would keep those things on the calendar and see what you need to do to get back to good headspace.

That said, this is all supposed to be fun, and so when it is not fun for an extended period of time (I don't mean a few low points), then find whatever else is fun and do that. 5ks, rec soccer, knitting, whatever makes you feel sweet.

[texassmith]

kams is so wise

[gt7301b]

If I've signed up for a race I'll do it because I'm stubborn like that. In a case like this if a race doesn't have their shit together I'd bail or pick another race.

[biomaj5]

I think tonight I'll set out a few different schedules and see what I like-marathon and century, century and half, just maintenance until spring. Maybe that and a pros/cons list will help take out the emotion so I can figure out what's best for me. Maybe just seeing spreadsheets with planned runs will bring back some excitement and motivation.

Thank you for the advice and for letting me whine here. I don't post much outside of the marathon monday post, but I really do appreciate ya'll.

[hannahb]

Jun 4, 2014 8:14:16 GMT -5 kams said:

If it's an issue of pain, get that sorted out and then reevaluate if you can do the races you have planned.

If it's motivation, boredom, or other mental issues, I would keep those things on the calendar and see what you need to do to get back to good headspace.

That said, this is all supposed to be fun, and so when it is not fun for an extended period of time (I don't mean a few low points), then find whatever else is fun and do that. 5ks, rec soccer, knitting, whatever makes you feel sweet.

This. She's a smart one, listen to her

[shorewife]

I like the idea of taking a few weeks break and seeing how you feel. Maybe its the ultra part of your training plan, but it seems like you are doing a lot of training pretty early on for a mid-Sept marathon? I'm wondering if you're mostly just burned out....

[biomaj5]

Jun 4, 2014 9:11:48 GMT -5 shorewife said:

I like the idea of taking a few weeks break and seeing how you feel. Maybe its the ultra part of your training plan, but it seems like you are doing a lot of training pretty early on for a mid-Sept marathon? I'm wondering if you're mostly just burned out....

I think that is definitely a possibility. I haven't started back to back long runs yet, but I was dreading them approaching (I would have started them on the week after my June 21 tour de cure).

[thom]

Ditto kams. I also think there's no shame in switching to a half instead of the full. To me, it seems we go through good & rough seasons w/ everything. It includes exercise and training, but also our jobs, families, marriage, etc...

I encourage you not to bail on all your training unless it's truly an injury problem. BUT - if you only do the century or just the 1/2, that's OK. Heck, just do some fun 5K's if that's what sounds best. You don't have to race all the time; just make sure you don't quit being active because the going gets rough. I think endurance events are a delicate balance between pushing yourself and accomplishing goals while still keeping your life in order and not allowing the stress of a race to become negative.

Some people thrive on multiple big races each year, and that's sort of how this year is going for me. But some years I really step back. In 2011 I ran my first marathon. I didn't even do a 1/2 that year. I didn't go back to the marathon until June 2013. I hope you can arrive at a decision that you're at peace with. Good luck!