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I have to take a break from running. It has been two weeks
since my Marathon and the only run I’ve been on one run, the color me rad 5k. I
felt very funny on that run. I have also been suffering from some tired old
people feet. I get tired standing around, and after a pretty easy day at work,
I feel like I’ve been on my feet ALL day.
I think I am having residual pain, possibly a stress injury.
I have made the bittersweet decision to play it safe and take at least two more
weeks off of running.
I was really looking forward to my post marathon running. I
could maintain. I wouldn’t be worried about jacking up my training, running
myself to exhaustion, then eating every two hours for quick recovery. I could
run every other day with very little pain and maybe even accomplish some weight
loss. I wanted to maintain a 20
mile/week training schedule and fall into a neat routine of easy runs that gave
me energy instead of sapped it. So much for that.
My plan now is to do a ton of rock climbing, yoga, and
pilates to build strength and to invest in my poor neglected upper body and
core muscles. Climbing more would also get me started on scratching off that
other item on my bucket list, climbing el capitan.
It would be funny if not running helped me get in better
shape. I would spend some time focusing on muscle building and toning instead
of cardio pound-pound-pound all the time. I think it would be harder to avoid
the weight gain I am going to undergo because of my sustained eating habits,
but I am open to the possibility that I may be healthier overall if I stop
running.
I am not looking forward to gaining back the measly 5 pounds
I lost during the marathon training program. It was a tiny tiny victory over
unhealthy stomach fat, but I have always been victim to slippery slopes.