Training For Nothing

For the past two-ish years (since January 2017) I’ve been in a non-stop cycle of training for one thing or another. When I had the cold from Hell after my race last December and was pretty much knocked on my ass for a couple of months my workouts went right out the window.

With the major state of burnout I was in from all the running, I decided that this year I was going to cut my running down by one day a week (I normally do three days a week runs) and add an extra cross training day in its place.

I created my workout plan – 16 week plan, because that’s what I’m used to when I’m training for a big race.  And I’ve been diligently following my plan.

And I’m BORED!

My husband asked me once (a long time ago) why I signed up for so many races. I told him that if I don’t have something to work towards, it’s way too easy to skip workouts. I need to have a goal I’m trying to reach. I know me. It’s how my brain works.

So now I’m working diligently on my workout schedule and I feel like I’m training for absolutely nothing. I’ve gotta admit that it’s getting in my head a little bit. I find myself unmotivated to get down to my workout room, or over to the Y, and god knows I can’t get OUT THE DOOR to workout because it’s been so bitterly cold! It just feels like wasted time. I know it’s not. I know it’s a matter of staying healthy. It just feels…cumbersome. It’s a huge reminder of why I always schedule races throughout the year.

I think this is a threefold issue:

1. The weather is sucking the life out of me! And not just on the exercise front. I don’t do well when I have to workout indoors for an extended period of time and the weather is just so cold!
2. I have nothing to look forward to. No races scheduled (a couple I’m interest in, but nothing scheduled).
3. I think I miss running? Weird. I don’t miss getting up at the butt crack of dawn to go to a race venue, but I think I am missing running.

Obviously, there is nothing I can do about the weather. I either have to suck it up and put 25 layers of clothing on and head outdoors to run, or I need to ignore my cabin fever and workout indoors.

I need to go ahead and schedule the races that I’ve been looking at. Nothing major. A few 5Ks. But I need to just do it.

Apparently, I just need to go for a run. And not the running workouts I’ve got on my schedule, but just a good old down to the lake and back run that I was so bored with last fall, but that I’m missing now for some random reason.

Mostly, I guess I need to feel like I’m not training for nothing, but that there is a purpose in what I’m doing. Even though staying fit should be a good enough purpose, it’s not enough for me. I need something to look forward to.