6.30.2011

running.

i am not a runner. i have ran. i have participated in two 1/2 marathons. proof:

with peeps at the 2009 country music marathon.

with my sweet roommates after the 2010 1/2.

i ran that 1/2 marathon back-to-back in '09 and again in 2010. i was signed up to do it again this year.

but i didn't. probably by spring, when i should have been up to 4 miles a day and distance on weekends, i realized that it just wasn't going to happen this year. and so, i didn't do it. i.... quit? i thought i was being realistic, knowing my limits, saving myself pain and trouble.

but then, i was talking with a friend at an event last night, and she mentioned that she was in week 1 of training for a fall 1/2 marathon and had injured herself. i was immediately encouraging, "some people just aren't built to be runners! i'm not! we don't all have to be runners!" but then i wondered, is that an excuse?

clearly, it's bothers me and has been nagging at me since this spring.

what do you say? is it realistic to know when you're not good at something? or is it quitting?
Posted by Katelyn Burkhart at
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 3, 2011 at 2:19 PM

    I love this post, Katelyn. You rock, for running those two half marys!

    I trained for and ran two half marathons in 2010 (CMM and the Women's Half) and then bowed out of the CMM 2011 after registering. I whine a lot about it here: http://happilyeverfaster.com/2011/03/17/running-on-fumes/

    I think it's SO important to listen to your body when it comes to running. There is a lot to be said for pushing through the pain and finishing something you started. However, when it comes to something as physical as a half marathon or a marathon - if your head, heart and body aren't all 100% invested, you could injure yourself further or just make yourself absolutely miserable trying to finish the race. So I had to ask myself, "Is this why I started running? To punish myself and my body?" Negative, speed racer.

    So again, I think it's a fine line of knowing when to let your mind speak louder than your body and tell yourself "you can DO this!" and knowing when to just stop, and listen to your body instead. Nobody but you can tell you where that line is -- and nobody should judge you for respecting it when you find it. :)

    Happy running!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Katelyn BurkhartJuly 7, 2011 at 6:54 AM

    yay jenn, so glad you found me! i've added you to my google reader - we are officially in real life and blog friends now =)

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