Now that the Marine Corps Marathon 10K is done, I’m fully committed to my next two goals: Training for the Hot Chocolate 15K on Dec. 3 and getting my body as strong as possible for the ski season.
With an eye toward the former goal, I spent some time yesterday making sure my registration ducks were in a row, reserving a parking spot per the annoying email from race organizers (I already paid for the race—how about letting me park for free?), and securing a spot in a seeded corral. As I scanned my race results from the past few years, deciding which one to send in for seeding purposes, I couldn’t help but wonder: When’s the last time I was actually happy with a race time (for running, that is)?
I spotted some races from summer 2010 that seemed fine-ish, like the Clifton Caboose 5K and the Capitol Hill Classic 10K. I had to look back to 2009 to find anything that really sat well with my ego.
But as I perused this year’s races, I spotted a huge victory that had nothing to do with time, or mental toughness, or anything—I’ve stayed healthy all year! This would be notable for any training cycle, but especially for this one, when my new ACL could have easily thrown everything else off, creating interesting new injuries as I screwed up my stride in a crazed grind to JUST KEEP RUNNING. Staying healthy through a comeback is a really tricky thing to do (so much so, I was asked to write a story for Women’s Running titled Tips to a successful running comeback for the January/February 2011 magazine), and I’ve apparently managed to do it.
I’m not fast. I don’t have a ton of endurance. But guess what? I can go run 5 miles whenever I want, because I have not given myself an overuse injury while recovering from a traumatic injury! It seems that at some point, I’ve actually procured some patience and maturity, which are way more useful than a PR.
Remind me about this post in December, K?
Amy Reinink 
GREAT post, Amy!
How funny, we are on the same wavelength yet again. The big question I came away with after my big fat PR at MCM (but missing the time goal I trained for by almost 20 minutes) was “Are we ever truly, completely satisfied with our time in a race?”
I could not agree more that you have reached the pinnacle of running success in avoiding injury.
None of us is a pro runner trying to earn enough to live, or make the cut to stay/get on the team; we must be running mostly for enjoyment. Why would/do we ruin that in the name of a slightly faster time?
I’m glad I ran MCM hard, but I am more than ready for some time off, other activities, and some easy, just-for-the-simple-joy-of-it running. If I had to give my all every time, I don’t think I’d keep running. It’s decidedly NOT fun!
we’re soul sisters here: “I can go run 5 miles whenever I want, because I have not given myself an overuse injury while recovering from a traumatic injury! ”
keep loving it, friend! and what’s this crap about paying for a parking spot??