A few days late, but I don’t think it’s a few bucks short…
I was reading John ‘The Penguin’ Bingham’s blog and he had two separate entries that contained items that I found particularly inspiring and thought I would share them.
From the post: Cutting Back to Move Forward
Why, then, do I feel guilty about REALLY liking the 5K distance? Why is it that I think that training for, and participating in, a 5K is somehow “less than” training for and participating in a half marathon or full marathon?… These days I’m running 3 miles a day – or walking 2 miles – nearly every day. I can do that because I’m not worried about long runs. And, to be honest, I’m having more fun than I have in years.
Terri wrote a little bit ago about feeling burnt out on longer distances. I think that so often we get caught up in saying how far we ran, that we forget to recognize that just getting out to run, even a little bit, is doing something good for ourselves. I’ve been feeling down on myself for not running a 15-miler and then a 10-miler on Saturdays/Sundays with my friends. I’m sure that nobody else looks at me as if I’m a lesser runner, but for some reason I’ve been down on myself. That was the point in making the goal to just run for fun, and before I tweaked up my glute to the point of too much pain, I was having fun. In fact, I had several days where I went out for a simple 1 mile run in the morning and then did the same thing in the afternoon, only in reverse. It was like a game to see which direction felt tougher.
From the post: Adding Some Seasoning to by Running (although I wonder if he meant MY running…)
What occurred to me is that this winter hibernation is, for me, exactly what it is for the earth. It is a time of renewal. It’s a time to rebuild, to rest, to prepare for the stresses that will come with the spring. What I’ve been defining as a lack of motivation my actually be a necessary condition for being a life long runner.
Brilliant… changing your running by the seasons. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that before, but it just makes sense to me!
Jill Will Run 
One of my teammates from MVS said to me that in winter we run slower, and less, so we can run more and faster in the spring and summer. I agree, this is a time of hibernation. It’s dark so many hours of the day now, it’s just natural to spend less time outside, and when we are, maybe not enjoy it as much.
I like the quote about “why does he feel like he’s doing less by training for shorter races, than for longer ones.” That’s so true. Shorter races are just as challenging, they just take less time.
Terri: You have definitely been proving that shorter races can be a good challenge, since you’ve been working so hard to pick up your speed.
I love this post, Jill. I think we do lose site of why we are running. It doesn’t have to be about killer long runs and marathon after marathon.
After my half-marathon last November, I made the same decision to concentrate on shorter distances. Not because I am lazy or don’t like running. The shorter distances just feel right for now.
Chris: I knew I couldn’t be the only one that felt this way! So glad you agree!
My hibernation season is the summer, and I’m already mentally preparing for it. Last summer I learned my lesson. Never again will I train for a marathon through the summer. Its just not right to be out doing long runs in that kind of heat!! Funny, I’m burnt out on marathons right now, but I’m pretty psyched about running some 10ks and Half Marathons between now and June. I don’t feel any guilt for it either. I’ve run the marathon, time to think about getting faster not farther.!
I liked this post Jill. Your looking at it the right way.
Alissa: My hibernation period probably should be summer, but I felt stronger training through this summer than I have through the winter months. I just hate when the daylight hours are so limited. In the winter here, the sun sets at 4:00 and that’s just too early in the day!
Yeah, I’m pretty lucky. We don’t do daylight savings time here, so I have almost an hour of sunlight now after I get off work at 5:30. Still too dark in the mornings though. I think the time changes soon though for you.
This is a great post. I’m so glad that I’m still able to get out on occasion during the winter, but I’m not going to feel as bad as I have been when I miss a day when the weather is snow and below zero temps anymore. Maybe it’s just nature’s way of telling me I need to take some time off. 🙂
I like that idea, that’s Mother Nature is just telling us to take care of ourselves!
as far as work goes… hibernation should be year-round. for running, i am definitely in more of a slump now than i was a few weeks/months ago. i’m hoping it’s because i’m not currently training for anything in particular, and so i take more liberty at slacking off. i am definitely pro-running-seasons. you can’t be going full steam ahead all the time.
Amen to year-round hibernation in terms of work. I bet that would make running and working out a lot easier too, because we wouldn’t be as mentally fatigued!
I agree that it’s easier to stick to a program when you have a goal!
I found your site by searching for information on ice baths. I love it.
Can you add my link to your runner’s blog links?
Thanks