Now What?

I ran my first marathon over a month ago. After a couple weeks hiatus from any kind of serious workout, I joined the YWCA and committed myself to giving a few new classes a whirl. I've found a couple I really enjoy, and I plan on making use of the pool one of these days. But I am not someone who can go to a gym without a goal. Or, rather, I can, but I know that working out "for the fun of it" lasts about 6 weeks for me and then the invariable, "now what?" begins. I don't always need a race or a time to train towards, but I need something, and classes in a gym rarely do that for me. Although I will admit to seeing a woman do a really wacky one-legged dancer-y pose in yoga class that I would not mind attempting someday...

But since I've started thinking about the "now what?" I've also started thinking about other races. I decided less than a week after the Twin Cities Marathon that I wanted to run Grandma's, everyone says it's so beautiful, maybe shoot for a better time. If I was 10 lbs lighter I'm positive I could shave at least 10 minutes off my time. And I'd train better this time around, I know where I was a little fuzzy, where I could have buckled down a bit more.

But I also know how huge a time commitment that is and I'm not sure I'll have it in me come February, when I'd need to start training again (I run now occassionally but really just for fun or to warm up, I'm not tracking mileage or anything). I definitely want to keep doing races but I really think I may just be a half-marathon girl. I did my marathon. I crossed that line. But when I look at the pics of that day, those first 13 miles I am smiling the whole time. Those 13 were FUN. And 13 isn't anything to sneeze at! That's a good ole run! And training for half-marathons is much more manageable in terms of having a life. Plus, I'd really like to be a bit faster. I've started thinking that maybe I could focus on half-marathons instead, work on getting my speed up that way. And if eventually I feel like doing a marathon again, there's nothing stopping me. Right?

It's early days yet. Grandma's sign-up isn't until mid January. I may get a post-New Year's boost and feel the need to get geared up for another marathon. After all, if I ran Grandma's and not Twin Cities, I would have all summer to just ENJOY, and not be training with long runs every Saturday/Sunday while everybody else is out doing what people do in the summertime. I didn't go out on boats near enough this summer. And I can probably count on one hand how many beers I drank on a patio.

This isn't to say that the training wasn't worth it. Running that marathon was one of the best experiences of my life. Definitely one of my proudest. But, as with anything, you do make sacrifices for the sake of your goals. Less time with friends, staying away from the cheese fries, exhaustion. Mmmmm, cheese fries...

So I'm building a "what" in answer to the "now what" that's been popping in my head recently. It's a heady thing, to know you have a feasible, totally accomplishable choice. I know I can do a marathon, that's no longer the question.

Do I want to do it again?