I think it was last December or January that I decided to sign up for the Colorado Marathon. In previous years, it sold out really early. Partly because it is really scenic: it starts in the Poudre Canyon and runs into old town Foco. But it also sells out because it is almost entirely downhill and its a Boston qualifier (which they plug relentlessly). I figured I'd sign up and qualify for Boston.
That's not going to happen. I'm not going to race it. I'm a little disappointed because I thought I could go out, have a good race, and a good time. But I don't think I'm in shape to do it. So before the fight even begins, I'm admitting defeat and throwing in the towel.
So yeah, I'm a pansy. But there should be an asterisk behind 'pansy.' I also think it's the smart thing to do. I'm still on the mend from Moab, which is shocking to me. After Leadville last year, I felt fine the day after. On Monday I went to work (although probably didn't do my finest work), I was walking stairs, and within 2 weeks, I was feeling normal albeit a bit sluggish. I remember talking to TK at some point about running 100's. He said, which I found incredible at the time, that it takes him around a month to feel normal after running a 100 miler. Now I get it. Not like I'm in the same league as him. It's just that my body doesn't feel normal yet (and this is day 22 after Moab). Pings and pangs exist when I wake up in the morning, especially the day after I go for a run. What would have been an easy run a month ago, now feels necessitates that I need to take a day off from running. So I'm not exactly injured, but maybe I just don't want to acknowledge it: I have a lingering pain in my left knee, which I think is tied to a tightness in my left quad and hip.
Needless to say, this is all very aggravating. I want to be outside, but I'm only getting out ever other day or so. I'm spending some time in the gym (working my anemic upper body into acceptable condition, so I can, like, open doors n stuff), but most of my time I spend on the bike trying to get my heart rate up and my legs moving.
For all of you out there who are also feeling less than 100%, and I know there are many, I sympathize.