So many of you have emailed me with your thoughts, opinions and concerns. This girl really laid it out for me. "Would you give up running completely for one race?" Heck no. Yet this girl commented and emailed me telling me how much faith she has in me and my ability.
I know that I could run CIM with lack of quality training (pathetic at best). I have endurance. I can handle pain and I could probably make it the whole 26.2 miles whether it took four or five hours. The question is: Do I WANT to do that? Do I want to potentially injure myself preventing me from running future races/marathons? In 2005 I ran CIM thinking I was perfectly trained only to bonk hard at mile 20 and be injured for many months afterwards. Trailmomma not running at all does not make a happy Trailmomma house hold.
I have been battling a cold. Squeaker has been sick since November 11th and as a mom, I have become her human tissue at times (it comes with the job). It was inevitable that I also got sick. It has taken its time though. A runny nose here. A sore throat there. Yesterday however I was hit with a fever and a progressing cough. I can pretty much bet that I now officially have bronchitis and probably a sinus infection to boot.
Running CIM with half of my lung capacity is not something I want to try. Not to mention I would be that horrible coughing runner you see out there and pass thinking "What are they doing!? Go home and rest already!?"
This is a hard thing for me to do. I have never not started a race but I do believe that is what I need to do. Does this make me a chicken? Maybe. Does this make me a more mature runner? Perhaps. One will never know I guess and the only person beating me up about this decision is ME. Vans is supportive either way but he wants me to be smart AND healthy. Is it worth risking pneumonia? Yes I am wasting money but luckily I signed up for the race the day it opened and paid the lowest fee possible. I will not be running CIM in 2012 because I will be attending my dear brother's wedding in New Jersey that weekend. I did not run last year because I was pregnant. This will be the longest break from CIM I have ever taken.
I have my sights set on a marathon in late June. I am not committing to it yet (lesson learned) but I am excited to kick this cold and put away my Garmin and just run for ME. Ideally I would like to run the marathon in June well ... I would love to find someone who could help me train .... keep me accountable and push me so that I can perhaps PR and (gasp) maybe even qualify for Boston. Any takers out there?
First I need to get past today's CIM Expo. I love race Expos and I need the strength and support to not get sucked up into the race day excitement and not turn my chip into the officials. There is a possibility that I could arrive at the expo, see some running buddies who will convince me that I can do the race. Please give me the strength to say "no" ... maybe the coughing fit I am bound to have will be proof enough? They might not even let me inside to pick up my bib if I am coughing. There is nothing marathoners hate more than to be around someone who is sick.
Children aside of course. I could never not be around my two beautiful girls. Who, by the way, just had their Fall photos taken at school .... (again sorry for the crappy quality).
Peanut (3.5 yrs old)
Squeaker (now 5 months old)
Girl, there will be a whole slough of future marathons for you... I don't get the whole big deal about one DNS. I know it kind of sucks (I DNS'd my Run on the Sly race last year due to hip soreness) but sometimes its inevitable. And I bet if you talk to every runner out there, everyone has had to, at some point, DNS or DNF or whatever. Its just part of it. Really. Who wants to be miserably hacking and spitting for 26.2 miles? You got June.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with your decision. Whatever you decide it will be right for you. :-)
I agree with Zapmamak. There are so many other races around! I did SF Marathon when I had a horrible infection and ended up sick for 2 months afterward with liver/kidney infection. Don't do it. Your health is too precious. If you need someone to push you/train for June marathon, I hereby volunteer. I'm a little slower than you, so if you can put up with it, i'm in. I also have a marathon in June I'm considering. Get better soon!
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better! I have this stupid cold too! I think you are making the right decision. Still sucks, and it is still disappointing though :(
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend, and hope I didn't overstep by trying to give advice...I just feel like we are indeed having a parallel moment!
I know I've already shared with you my thoughts on this. I feel you are making the smart decisiion by NOT toeing the line. Could you do it? Of course, but truly, it's not worth the risk. We know you are a stud runner...you have nothing to prove mama, and there's no shame in taking *care* of yourself. If you thought about it, you would give the same advice to someone else were it not you in this position. :) Thought it may be the "right" decision, I know it's not an easy pill for you to swallow. I think you should send Vans to turn in your chip so that you aren't tempted! :)
ReplyDeletexxxoo~ Lisa
I think I'd rather have a DNS than a DNF... I would never run a race if I honeslty felt undertrained. That's dangerous!!
ReplyDeleteYou did the smart thing turning in your chip-why risk an injury or getting sicker than you already were. It was so nice to see you out there Sunday, cheering on all of your fellow runners. Get better soon!
ReplyDeleteYour girls school pictures are priceless.