Now What?

Coming off an endurance event, it's really hard to decide what to do next.  You go through training withdrawals.  You have thoughts of "what am I supposed to do now with all this free time?"   You question whether or not to go straight into another event.   Rest?   Recover?

I opted to take a few weeks of easy exercise and contemplation.  I had some knee issues after the race.  Ice-pick-stabbing-into-knee kind of pain when I ran at all or walked for extended periods of time.  I've rested it.  I'm running on it a little.  I'm listening to my body when it says "Girl, right now I just can't."

I have utilized some of this time to really think "What Next?"   If 2012 is Fe, then what do I need to focus on now to improve that.  What are the series of 'little things,' I can work on to prepare me for what ironman training entails. 

Decision 1:  I have officially tabled the fall marathon.  It's just too much and my heart really isn't in it right now.  I am enjoying shorter runs.  I was feeling burnt out after Augusta and just wanted to take my time getting back into the swing of things.  A fall marathon didn't leave as an option.  I couldn't afford to take a few weeks off if a fall marathon stayed on the table. 

Decision 2:  I need to focus, for a month or so, on building base fitness.  Really, for having just come off a half ironman, I feel incredibly out of shape.  I actually had the thought the other day "I'm not sure I can run 6 miles anymore."  Wha?  My flexibility has gone from mediocre to nonexistent.  My weight training has being stagnant. 

Decision 3:   I have to get to a fighting weight - and I'm not talking about staying in the middleweight category.  I'm like to get to lightweight (and in the 'normal' BMI category).   I have super secret goals of Super Bantamweight to featherweight.  I'll settle for being closer to the weight on my driver's license.   I started back with spark people.  It's much easier now that I have my Droid X, because there's an app for that.  It's not perfect, but at least my food is being tracked consistently and I have some realistic goals.

Goals.  I have four goals for winter.  I'm still tweaking out the action steps, so I'm going to hold off sharing those until I'm done.  I'll have those finalized in the next couple of days. 

Races.  I'm done with races until March.  No 5Ks, No 10Ks, No Half Marathons.  I don't have the urge right now.  Of course, this could all change tomorrow.  I have 3, maybe 4, big races on the radar for next year.  2 marathons (spring & fall), which I'm already registered for and then one or two half ironman races.  I got asked last night if I would do Augusta next year.  My response is probably not.  I don't want to get roped into the same race each year.  There are so many great events out there.  In fact, I'm not sure that after Publix Georgia Marathon in March, if I'll ever do the same race again.  Going back for 'revenge' on a course just doesn't seem as fun as it used to.  Maybe if I have a course that I have to take a DNF on, but that's different.