Thinking Ahead Thursday

So...I bombed the Brooklyn half [I think I took the "No Sleep til Brooklyn" stuff a little too seriously, among other things, outlined here].



And then I came home bummed.

Not because I hadn't run that race well [obviously I couldn't be upset about not running a good race when I hadn't trained for it], but because it seemed like everyone else I knew or read about in the blogging world had such an easier time running faster races than me [again - as compared to my other races, not this one].  For the record - it's not that I begrudge anyone else their fantastic success - I'm happy for them!  I just wish I had some more of my own, too.

What have I been doing wrong all this time?  [Okay, so it's not like I don't know that I should be incorporating more specific workouts like sprints and hills into my routine, but it doesn't seem like all of these other people who are speeding through their first races are doing that regimented of a routine either]  Why does it seem so much harder for me to improve?  Is running just not my thing?

And then there's the issue of weight gain.  Oh, the weight gain.  I posted two year old pictures from my first half  marathon in my Flashback Friday post and let me tell you - when I saw them [or even my marathon pics from November] side by side with my photos from the Brooklyn half?  Oof!  It hit me like a ton of bricks.  I have put on some serious weight recently.

Ah, the thin old days

Save it people - the legs have CLEARLY gotten out of control

True, I've spent the past FIFTEEN MONTHS living out of a hotel for work and consequently eating take-out/restaurant food that whole time, but I would have hoped that running would have combated that.  Is running not even giving me a good enough workout to keep the pounds off?

And so for the past few blogless days I've been pondering - is running right for me?

Its been over dramatic, I know.  James asked me why I stress myself out so much about the races when they're supposed to be for fun.  And he's right.  It's just that it's frustrating to never improve at something you put so much time into.  In any event, my upcoming race schedule includes shorter races that nicely lend themselves to focusing on increasing speed and with that, hopefully will leave more time to put more time into some other exercises that might help to combat the current weight situation.  No more whining.  Just looking forward.


Upcoming races:

• May 31st - American Heart Association Wall Street Run (3 miles) 
• June 9th - New York Mini 10k (10k, despite the fact that it sounds like a misnomer)
•  June 14th - J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge  (3.5 miles)

After a serious schooling in you reap what you sow on Saturday I decided to take on an abs class Sunday. That was tough.  A half hour of crunching?  HELP!  Monday through Wednesday were the definition of insanity at work, and I'm pretty much okay with giving myself a fully guilt-free pass when I'm at the office beyond midnight.  And today I started on what I not-so-secretly-anymore hope will be the cure to my pudged up bod: The Tracy Anderson Method Mat DVD.  I'll keep you posted on how that goes...