Now What??!!
So now that the marathon is over...now what???
It is weird but this is the longest I have gone with out running in probably over a year and all I have taken off what 4 days. I feel okay, I think probably because I am on a runner's high still from the marathon. I still feel like I am flying from all that I accomplished and did. But one nagging thought is now what?? What do I do now?
For months and months, I have dedicated every single moment to training. I had a routine and I had schedule. I never questioned what the day was going to bring or how it was going to play out. My life was nothing but running. And now, I don't have a goal or dream to strive for.
I guess that seems a little harsh, of course, I have goals and dreams to strive for, but nothing big like the marathon. I mean that training and big day was so far out of my comfort zone, where do you go when you reach the top???
I need to refocus on my weight loss for sure. I need to tone up what I have lost and get back to where I was before marathon training. To say marathon training made me loose weight is a complete lie. I gained during this process, 90% muscle but I did gain 7 pounds over the course of the 6 months, but if I am being honest, I probably have gained almost 11 this past year. Yes, a lot of it is muscle, I mean I have been running and running all year. I did the 2 day, 3 race day in February, then Iron Girl and then right into Marathon Training. Lots of intense running, which brought on intense hunger.
Did I always make the best choices or say I can eat this because I am running like crazy this week??!! Umm, I sure did, but now I have to retrain my body and mind to go back to how it was before, when I didn't eat all my activity points or weeklies. Or I didn't snack as much. To say it will be easy, again is a lie, but I am giving it my all. I am continuing with Weight Watchers for the rest of the year, then I think I might try counting calories or Macros, which I hear is quite successful. I am contiuning on with WW for the rest of the year because it is easy and I want to finish through. I have busy few months coming up with work and the holiday season and I know WW works very well for me during that time of year.
But I will need something new, something fresh. It is good to switch it up. So right now I am sticking with my 26 points a day, until January and will cut my ties with Weight Watchers after that. Not leaving the program completely, just taking a little break. I just don't want to live my life counting points all the time, you know. It was nice this week to take a little break, but I am not fully there yet, I have many flaws.
And as for running, well my focus right now is just to enjoy it. The weather is becoming amazing here in Florida and that is where I fall in love with running all over again. I want to love it all over again. No more training times and if I want to only run 3 days a week, or run just for two miles one day, then I will. I also will utilize my gym more in our apartment, focus more on stretching and yoga also. I do have the Turkey Trot in November and I want to focus on really hitting that sub 30 minute 5k. Starting back at the beginning, where all my love of running began.
I do have that sad feeling of now what? But I know I will continue to run. I plan on a nice 3 miles on Sunday, but if I want to run for a long distance just because well then I will, no pressure. I know I love running, I love long distance running and sure I hit my long distance goal, now I am just running to keep me loving the long road.
It is weird but this is the longest I have gone with out running in probably over a year and all I have taken off what 4 days. I feel okay, I think probably because I am on a runner's high still from the marathon. I still feel like I am flying from all that I accomplished and did. But one nagging thought is now what?? What do I do now?
For months and months, I have dedicated every single moment to training. I had a routine and I had schedule. I never questioned what the day was going to bring or how it was going to play out. My life was nothing but running. And now, I don't have a goal or dream to strive for.
I guess that seems a little harsh, of course, I have goals and dreams to strive for, but nothing big like the marathon. I mean that training and big day was so far out of my comfort zone, where do you go when you reach the top???
I need to refocus on my weight loss for sure. I need to tone up what I have lost and get back to where I was before marathon training. To say marathon training made me loose weight is a complete lie. I gained during this process, 90% muscle but I did gain 7 pounds over the course of the 6 months, but if I am being honest, I probably have gained almost 11 this past year. Yes, a lot of it is muscle, I mean I have been running and running all year. I did the 2 day, 3 race day in February, then Iron Girl and then right into Marathon Training. Lots of intense running, which brought on intense hunger.
Did I always make the best choices or say I can eat this because I am running like crazy this week??!! Umm, I sure did, but now I have to retrain my body and mind to go back to how it was before, when I didn't eat all my activity points or weeklies. Or I didn't snack as much. To say it will be easy, again is a lie, but I am giving it my all. I am continuing with Weight Watchers for the rest of the year, then I think I might try counting calories or Macros, which I hear is quite successful. I am contiuning on with WW for the rest of the year because it is easy and I want to finish through. I have busy few months coming up with work and the holiday season and I know WW works very well for me during that time of year.
But I will need something new, something fresh. It is good to switch it up. So right now I am sticking with my 26 points a day, until January and will cut my ties with Weight Watchers after that. Not leaving the program completely, just taking a little break. I just don't want to live my life counting points all the time, you know. It was nice this week to take a little break, but I am not fully there yet, I have many flaws.
And as for running, well my focus right now is just to enjoy it. The weather is becoming amazing here in Florida and that is where I fall in love with running all over again. I want to love it all over again. No more training times and if I want to only run 3 days a week, or run just for two miles one day, then I will. I also will utilize my gym more in our apartment, focus more on stretching and yoga also. I do have the Turkey Trot in November and I want to focus on really hitting that sub 30 minute 5k. Starting back at the beginning, where all my love of running began.
I do have that sad feeling of now what? But I know I will continue to run. I plan on a nice 3 miles on Sunday, but if I want to run for a long distance just because well then I will, no pressure. I know I love running, I love long distance running and sure I hit my long distance goal, now I am just running to keep me loving the long road.
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I'll tell you, when I moved on from Weight Watchers, it was weird at first. Lol. I was still counting points in my head and still tracking in the same manner I did in Weight Watchers. But eventually I got into my own groove, you will too. I've been off of Weight Watchers now for over two years and I'll tell you there are still sooooo many habits that I have that came from that program. So although you'll move into something else, the program will always be with you and you'll be grateful for the healthy habits that it taught you!
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