Talk Cancer

Question:

Hi fellow runners,      I ran my first marathon last Oct,98 in Chicago. {45 yr old runner for 2* yrs}.  I trained hard for this and really understood the true meaning of "never give up"  ran with Leukemia Society TNT. My problem is,  ever since the marathon I have been unable to go for a run and enjoy it.  I  even have stopped dead in my run after 1 or 2 miles. I am not sure if this is psychological or emotional or what? I truely miss the runs and  remember how great i would feel.  Most weeks now I only run 3 milles.  Did I burn out or what? Any feedback or suggestions is appreciated                                            Laur PS  after marathon i was already planning my next marathon.

Post Marathon Training: http://www.mindfulness.com/mind/om7.html Do easy running for 3 to 4 weeks after the Marathon. After such an effort to achieve such a goal, there will be a letdown. Expect it, as it is normal. It is extremely important at this point to set a new goal for yourself. The goal might be another marathon in 6 months; or the ability to have a base mileage so that you can prepare for a marathon with a 16 week program; or a marathon a yea for life; or assisting someone else prepare and train for a marathon. Remember the marathon is a metaphor of a lifestyle. You have proved to yourself that you could achieve a goal. You achieved something that takes effort, time, commitment, focus and determination. You now have a standard to measure yourself against when you are confronted by the goals and challenges of life. You not have the experience of having trained to accomplish what needed to be accomplished to do what needed to be done. Read George Leonard, on Mastery. Read George Sheehan’s Personal Best. Your marathon has prepared you to live your life. Life, Be in it. Life, live it to the fullest and share what you have learned along the way. Goethe’s wisdom heard twenty years ago continues to alter my perception of time:                     Life is the childhood of our immortality.