Preparing for a Potential PW

I don't mean to sound negative... or to angle for pity... but I realized a few hours ago that I've got a half marathon in a week and a half and I'm totally not prepared.

Well, okay, I'm mentally prepared for it... by which I mean that I know that I will be able to finish, that there will be laughs along the way, that we'll take some funny pictures, that I'll get bored around mile 12, that we'll get a sparkly medal, and that the vacation will start in earnest 5 minutes after we cross the finish line. There will be points along the course where I struggle -- but in the end it will be fine.

I'm just not physically prepared for it. With only a handful of exceptions, I haven't run since the back-to-back races in November. NOVEMBER! This is my longest "running drought" since I started running. And I don't know why.

I feel as if I've lost my groove, a bit. Again, I don't know why. I just haven't felt like running very much. And -- like a lot of things I feel anxiety about at various times -- the "problem" gets bigger and bigger. I can't just lace up and go for a run around the block -- I must go for a proper run -- but that seems overwhelming. Actually firing up the treadmill downstairs feels like a huge task... and a huge victory when I do it. No, I don't know why.

I've felt underprepared for races before... but looking back over my running logs this is the most unprepared I have ever been.

So... on this first day of the Chinese New Year, this year of the rabbit, I'm going to try and get back on track... a little. No, I'm not going to try to "cram" some preparation in before the race. That's completely counter-productive. A half marathon isn't that sort of test. But I'm going to try and resolve to cut myself some slack, to focus on the fun of running a race again, and to pick things up afterwards. If I get a PW -- that's Potential Worst, btw -- I'll chalk it up to experience. If I run within my usual 5-minute range, I'll be ecstatic. And when we get back from our road trip, I'll start running again. No big deal... just neighborhood runs for a while. It will be fine.

Kung hei fat choy!