Do you set goals?
I have to in order to be focussed and disciplined to get workouts in. I love to run and planning for races helps me stick to a schedule that pushes me past what I might “feel” like doing.
I ran my first marathon in October 2013. It proved to be a challenging but memorable experience. I decided the day after that race to run another marathon, Ottawa Race Weekend, kind of as a do over. It didn’t take me long, but I’ve since realized that there is no need for a do over, but instead it’s a new opportunity to do something great for me!
After signing up for Ottawa’s Marathon, I learned that Calgary was celebrating it’s 50th race weekend and I decided to sign up for it’s marathon as well. No big deal, right? Well, it happens to be the week after Ottawa.
I like to push myself and challenge myself to see what I can do, so the training begins. End of November I starting running with the RR groups half marathon clinic just to keep a decent foundation in my running leading up to the Jan. start of the marathon training. Ran through the most minus stupid weather throughout the winter months, outside, usually after a snow storm! Challenge, character building weather, but great fun with great fellow runners.
By mid-February, on yet another snowy long run, my foot was achy…by treating it at home and icing it I continued to run another week or two, until after a 19K run, I realized that something was wrong and I was in too much pain.
Took 3 weeks to get a proper diagnoses, in which a bone scan showed that I had a Calcaneal Stress Fracture (across the body of the heel bone), a minor tibia stress fracture, a bone spur AND minor plantar fasciitis! I believe this was due to a combination of things, some avoidable, some not.
So suddenly my big marathon back to back plans were in jeopardy! What now? Treatment consisted of a boot, for likely 8 weeks up to 12! I immediately booked the half marathon in Calgary as a back up plan. Figuring I could at least run the half. Maybe, possibly run half in both cities instead.
No workouts aloud for the first 4 weeks! Four weeks later, I’ve been cleared to start swimming and doing some non-impact training, but still in the boot. Likely not able to even test my foot for another 4 weeks, and even then I need to start with walking!
What about my plans, I can’t run the marathons, that’s a given, but now I can’t possibly do the half marathons without risking injury. *sigh*
Okay, there are worst things in life, right? YES! So how can I experience these great events and continue with my racing goals? Well, we will volunteer (my daughter and I). We usually do race kit pick up (we’re kind of pros now LOL). My daughter and I volunteer for race kit pick up for a number of races every year. I do it to be involved, she does it for the free shirt, ha!
So we are signed up to volunteer in both cities. I’m planning on running the 5K (maybe 10k) in Calgary and I’m already preregistered for Calgary Marathon 2015!
I plan to run another shorter distance race in the summer, signed up for the Army Run (half) in September. Looking at a 5K/half in Nova Scotia for the fall as well AND then will focus on doing Ottawa and Calgary back to back in 2015 (full marathons).
Plans change, we cannot always control what happens to us or around us. Life happens, I just love to run and love having goals towards to achieve new levels of training for me. I love the friends that I’m meeting along the way and the shared experiences that I get to have with others. I love how my family never questions the insane choices I make, but instead they support me all the time and challenge me if I do anything contrary to the goals and plans I’ve set out for myself.
Do you set goals? What do you do when your plans change?
I’d love to hear your experiences as well 🙂
Happy RUNNING!
