Friday, September 11, 2009

What's next?

What's next? Being without a goal when I train is refreshingly weird. I took my bike to work on 3 days this week (nothing exciting, about 1 hour each time) and it was quite refreshing to be riding just for fun. Leisurely riding along reconnected me with why I love it so much. Not having to worry about times and effort lifted a big weight off my shoulders and let me concentrate on enjoying the moment for what it is, instead of pushing harder and harder.

That being said, I need a new goal. I don't remember the last time I was training with no goal in mind. I know that my next race is a running race. I know I will run in the Ottawa race weekend next year but I have to wait until the sponsor is announced before I decide which distance since I pledged to run the full marathon if Rogers decides to be the title sponsor!! And I want something a bit sooner... Does anyone know of any fun events in Ontario/Quebec between late November and March?
One option is the Winterman. That event has always puzzled me, a full marathon in the middle of winter. Should be fun. Then I found out that the marathon course is an out and back course. I hate out and back courses. Not only that but it is only 5km, which you repeat 8 times for the full marathon. I don't think I have the mental stamina to run the same 2.5km stretch 16 times.

Another fun option would be a race somewhere warm. Something like the Arizona Rock and Roll Marathon could be fun. I even found a Caribbean cruise with a running twist where you can share the experience with famous runners like Bart Yasso.

I don't know why I'm focusing on marathon courses since I haven't decided for sure that I want another crack at the distance. I'm pretty sure most of these races feature shorter distances such as the HM or 10k.

What I know for sure is that I will be going to the Terry Fox Run in Kanata this Sunday and that I gave my name to volunteer for the Army Run on the 20th but I am still awaiting confirmation.

It's funny that I wrote most of this post this morning but had to leave it in draft when I ran out of time. Then just before I got off work, I received an email from a colleague about a 5k race for Charity on October 1st. I guess that is my new goal. The race is a friendly just for fun (and charity!) contest between a few government departments. I hope I can make my department proud!

2 comments:

  1. I love having mulitple races on the horizon. Sounds like some good options. A winter marathon could be cool, but NOT out and back and out and back and out and back....

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  2. Yikes, that race in the snow does not sound fun to me. But probably getting people to man aid stations would be tough so they minimize the course length and repeat it a lot. A destination race in a warm area sounds fun, though!

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