March 28, 2024

Do I Need to Get Back to Racing?

I had friends run the 10-miler today. There was a time when I made any race in the Austin area (and a lot outside of Austin); I’ve even raced both days on the weekend. But lately, and by lately I mean the last two years or so, I’ve had no interest in the road racing scene.

I’ve done almost no racing. The last year I did a bunch was I guess ’05, when Cathy and I managed to do a marathon a month for five months or so (Pikes Peak Marathon in August, Inks Lake in November, White Rock in December, Bandera 50K in January, Freescale in February). Interspersed in all that were really long trail runs, IBM 10K (disaster–I fell at the start), a disasterous Motive (we’d run 24 miles on the trails out at Bastrop State Park the day before–it was a great half for Crabby Old Jaws but I sucked), and Government Canyon 50K, which would’ve been another ultra but I stopped after the first loop, a planned DNF.

On one hand, it bugs me that I have so little motivation to race. Seems like I should be out there, pushing myself and working more speed. On the other hand, I am pushing myself in a variety of ways. I’m PRing the things I’m doing. And I’m trying some different things (the bike rides, which are fun).

Maybe I just think too much.

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Leah Nyfeler

I'm a writer, content marketer, and adventurer who is always looking for the another story, exciting adventure, new trail, and good meal/book/movie. I love sharing things I'm curious about, what I know, and how I've come to learn it. Read my blog, "Enjoying the Journey: Observations on the Fit Life" (leahruns100.com) and find my articles in a variety of print and online magazines.

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0 thoughts on “Do I Need to Get Back to Racing?

  1. There is something to be said holding focus and getting good at what you are focusing on. Do these local races complement the training for your next big endurance event. Sometimes I need a change of activity to keep up the motivation and enjoyment(this coming from someone who has been doing to many different things and not significantly improving in any)

  2. Yeah well there was also the Rogue Trail Series, Leadville Marathon and other foolishness all within that \”period\” also.

    Stop thinking & do what you really feel like doing.

  3. Firstly and foremost, remember, it\’s all about the T-shirt:) Always do races with cool tech-T-shirts? Or do you already have enough race shirts? 😉

    I wouldn\’t be worried about racing if you don\’t want to, or don\’t need to. Focus on what you need to focus on, do the races if you enjoy the races, don\’t do the races if you don\’t want to. Specific races may or may not fall nicely into your training cycle, but don\’t force them if you don\’t want to.

    Doing a race on a Sunday means not doing a long-run if the distance don\’t align. Conversely, doing a race might be viewed as a catered long run:) Esp. if you can add miles on before or after to pad out to the desired distance.

    And if you\’ve moved up to adding bike and swim, it seems like you are doing fun things there, why do the tired ol\’ Austin road racing scene?

    Enjoy whatever you please, add a touch of what the coach thinks is needed, cherry-pick fun races (or not!), or landmark races (a first metric century, oh, you did that; a first century?).

    Races are becoming too expensive, too crowded and too hard to park at to do ones you\’d rather not be doing!

  4. Thank you for the comments

    jfri, you\’re right; none of these upcoming races really have any bearing on my real focus, which is the IM in June. I\’m being FOMO. A friend had asked me yesterday if I was doing Decker, and then I hadn\’t done the 10 miler, so I think I was having a little pity party waah-waah moment on the racing thing.

    coj: oh yeah, we did a ton of stuff then. Perhaps I\’m still recovering….

    whyiron: I keep forgetting that I\’ve planned to recover and enjoy myself over November and December in preparation for the big training push that starts in January. My coach will have PLENTY of direction for me then.

    Thank you all for helping me snap out of this.

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