The DNS

Sometimes in life you have to pull the plug on a race because it just doesn't make sense. A few weeks back I had wanted to run a race in Prospect Park and Chad and I decided that it was a dumb idea because my butt and my calf hurt. And it was 30 degrees with a 25 MPH wind which is not great weather! We had another good heart to heart today (Chad is an awesome coach) and I have decided not to race at Galveston on April 1. I am sad for many reasons, but mostly because that means I won't get to see Kim or watch her first pro race. I am kind of sad not to race but frankly my body is in no shape to do so. Every morning I wake up and stretch out in my bed and hobble around for a good 10 minutes, because my body just hurts. My butt and my calf hurt the most but in generally I feel like a little old lady. I want to regain the spring in my step, or be able to break into a jog to make it across a street before a light changes, without feeling pain. I think I have always prided myself on my endurance and my ability to do lots of work without breaking down. Well, sometimes even Banzo hits a limit. I do this sport for fun. I love to exercise, and I love to push myself. But not to the point of feeling pain whenever I move around. The ability to move our bodies is such a gift. I want to feel the pure joy of movement again, which I know I can only do if I get some rest, and forget about racing. So that is the plan.

Sorry for the buzz kill of a post, especially after weeks of radio silence. But that is the big news. I did stop traveling and that is amazing. I am having a wonderful time living in New York and watching the city wake up from winter. It is such an amazing experience and I feel so lucky that I live here. Perhaps it is time for me to focus more on experiencing a new city, making friends, having fun, reading, learning, going to museums, and walking, than obsessively training. There is more to life and I think at times I have forgotten that. Here's to remembering. Even though this is kind of a sad post, I don't feel sad. I feel optimistic about the future and excited to have some new experiences. So I am a happy and more balanced person now, even if I won't be trying to crush the field in Texas!