Spring - a Time for Renewal and Refocus

As the landscape and vegetation renews itself from the dark and damp chill of winter, I also feel my spirit and desire regenerating as well. My focus is sharpening and I am ready to get back to serious training again. Mentally, I have been through a lot these last few months and I have felt beat up and downtrodden at times. I guess that we all go through these slumps from time to time, and I finally feel like I am emerging from out of the shadows to stand in the bright light of day again.

With one day left in the week, I have already run three times for a total of 15 miles (4, 4, and 7), and been to the gym twice. I can already tell a difference in the way that I feel, and my pace on my runs is picking up while my heart rate is dropping. I am starting to enjoy running again, and I am making it a fixture in my life as it was so prominently in the past.

I weighed myself at the gym this week, and was both appalled and disgusted by the numbers that registered on the scale (does this thing weigh in grams?!) That was the last straw for me. I realized that it is time to get back in shape and feel like an athlete again. I've had a good, solid week and I'm really not sore at all from my workouts. I can already see and feel a change in my body. It is remembering and responding. With my renewed focus and dedication, I really think that I could get into my best shape ever for the fall marathon season. I know what has worked in the past for me, and I know the areas where I need to make some changes. Combined, I think that this is a formula for success. I truly do think this could be my best year of marathon running yet; although it won't be my most prolific. Oh well, quality over quantity.

Over the next two months, I will continue to build my base mileage and strength. In July, I will start marathon training and focus on speed and endurance. I have a plan to cross-train more often and more intensely to further increase my conditioning on non-running days. When I run, each and every workout will have a defined purpose and a goal. Spring is here, and I am back.