You may have noticed I didn't publish a new post on this running blog last week. I was rather tired from working at the Great American International Wine Competition on March 11th and 12th and took the week off from training, so it felt disingenuous to post something.
It turns out, it was the best thing I could have done. Over the week, my achy muscles became significantly less achy, and when I restarted my training this past week, I was completely re-energized. Not only was I able to complete three miles, I had my best pace yet!
(The fact that that pace doesn't even come close to the minimum required to Beat the Bridge for the Marine Corps Marathon is entirely immaterial.)
It was a great lesson for this newbie to learn: "It's a marathon, not a sprint." This is probably why my past fitness regimens didn't stick. Once I made the decision, I went all out, which led to quickly burning out.
So, to all my fellow coach potatoes / winter hibernators: It's okay to start slow. It's okay to take a break. And most of all, it's okay to not feel guilty about it!