Hitting The Wall

It's hard for me to think that I used to be a "runner" - I've completed a marathon, half marathon, countless 10ks, 5ks, etc....and now, I can barely run 2 miles now.  I used to look forward to my runs, lacing up my running sneakers and hitting the pavement.

To me, running was a relationship gone bad.  Please forgive me for the following analogy, especially those that married their high school sweetheart and haven't gone through the following grieving process.  When I first got invested in running, it was all fun and games.  I would put on headphones, hit the city streets, and let my run take me wherever it pleased.  Just like in the beginning of the relationship - I wanted to spend as much time with my runs as possible.  Morning, afternoon, or night, I would make time for a run.  And like a new relationship - I was testing my limits.  How far could I run?  How fast?   Once my running and I got into a groove, it was time to challenge our strength - hence all the 10Ks, half marathon, etc...

Then I found myself wanting more from the relationship.  I committed a lot of time and effort up until that point and wanted something to show for it.  Then, completing a marathon became a goal.  Training for the marathon meant days and hours of running.  I was ready for it.  I would love it.

Well.... after running the marathon, something changed.  I started to dread my runs.  My dread became despise.  My heart was no longer into it, so I did the next most logical step:  I broke up with running.  It's me, not you.  Now that I was a free woman, I was a workout whore.  I dabbled on the elliptical, stationary bike, and stair master.  I tried Pilates - loved it, just too high maintenance.  I even fooled around with Yoga - and even though that was calming, I was bored.  Although I am not exclusive, I have found a deep respect for lifting weights. But I still long for the run that got away.

Hearing this song makes me want to run!