Change in plans

I came to the decision last week that I won't run the Madison half marathon on May 30.

The decision surprised me, but I instantly felt better because its the right decision. Its been weighing on my mind for awhile, and I think my shin splints were only a part of the reason.

I really think I would have eventually decided against the half regardless of my injury status. I just don't have the time to get the training in. With nine weeks go, my longest run is only 6 miles. Granted, for training most plans only recommend a 10-mile long run, so calendar-wise I could have done it. But I can only run three times a week, and a lot of weeks I only get two runs in. My weekly mileage is a fraction of what it once was.

Last week I took the week off to get my shins rested. I ran short and slow last night and my shins are better. The week off did me good. And since I'm not running this half anymore, I'm not freaking out about the training time missed!

I can't let myself get injured again. I lost six months to injury, though lumping pregnancy into the time off, its more like almost a year and a half. I am hitting my stride again and with my plans I was setting myself up for another injury. The shin splints hit the same way my achilles tendonitis did two years ago... I was over enthusiastic in getting to outside running. Only this time I was also sort of scrambling to get the miles in too.

Instead of Madison on May 30, I've shifted my focus to the Crazylegs Classic 8K on April 24. That is a much more attainable race for me right now. I'll train for the 8K and get a better running base under me. Then I'll start training again for the other Madison half, which is on Aug. 29. That one was on my calendar anyway, it will just be my first instead of second. Hopefully I can also run the Fox Cities half on Sept. 19.