recognizing burnout

By | July 26, 2020

if I ever got it together for runfessions, my number one would be that I have not missed racing one bit. I’ve been trying to figure out what that meant since March with little luck. I don’t even mean in the sense that “it’s not safe, so we shouldn’t be racing”, but rather I did not care that Pride, Cinco de Mayo weren’t happening. For Cherry Blossom 10 miler I was more sad about missing the cherry blossoms in DC (and the chance to see Deborah and Coco!) then I was about not running ten miles. Not to say I didn’t feel bad for those who lost goal and other races they were looking forward to –it just didn’t matter to me personally. It didn’t occur to me until I finally read Amanda Brooks’ Run to the Finish (my review here, Wendy’s here. Did anyone else read & review this?) this week that it was my first running book since at least March. I could definitely get behind her BQ by 80 plan and definitely felt like she was speaking right to me with her IT Band injury.

Unofficial diagnosis? Injury related burnout. I think I pushed running through pain too far and it really took away my love of running, and that’s why pain-free running even if “just” four miles has made me so happy this summer. I’m very glad I did Bermuda, and was with Elizabeth for her first race back (and my beloved frozen penguin), but I had no business doing Manhattan 7 or Super Bowl Sunday. I’m so glad I belatedly had the there’s no point in running when it hurts epiphany and came to my senses, because I do love running again and am looking forward to a real race in 2021 since the balance of NYRR’s 2020 slate just cancelled. I haven’t been about all of the virtual races, but might need to do Season of Light and Ted Corbett, because Ted will always be one of my favorites.

***

 

Bix Blogger Babes!

we did it!

Not all racing is lost for 2020! Since Kim was an ambassador for the Bix 7 race, we decided we’d take advantage of not generally being able to run together, and run virtually together. With a theme of fire due to the heat, Kim, Kim, Renee, Montana, Zenaida and I (with Deborah with us in spirit) got out there for some solid mischief and miles. This was so much fun!  7 miles is the longest I’ve run since February and was impressed with myself especially with the god-awful humidity.  The route (thanks, Montana, for teaching us how to manually upload to Strava!) is known as “shade seeking” and “lap avoidance” as I did not want to do fourteen laps of the Great Lawn. More on why I wasn’t running the river below. While stiff and tight, I felt good after. I was pre-emptively planning to use I need an extra recovery day as a reason not to run Monday morning when the low is 80, but we’ll see what happens there.

Weekly Run Down with Kim and Deborah:

this city sometimes feels like Mother Nature is trying to take it back. This was courtesy of a tree fall.

  • seen on my Monday morning walk. It was too hot to run, or even walk at an exercise speed. Forward is a pace, and I called this a Monday done even though I didn’t even get step goal.

perfection

  • Tuesday: up at 4:30 twice in three days. Who *am* I? It was absolutely worth it though. As I do more runrises, I’ve been thinking more about running safety and finally took advantage of the Bix coupon and ordered a RoadID attachment for my Garmin.
  • Wednesday: I slept in a little and did some errands before work.

oh east river esplanade

and then I came home to the Garmin news

  • Thursday: didn’t make runrise, which was OK as it was kind of wonderfully overcast. As I mentioned above re: Mother Nature, the East River is eating the esplanade and I hate to say it will probably be closed off soon for safety. I’m going to miss this breeze for August runs. The pic above isn’t the big one, but rather another that opened north of Gracie Mansion.  I came home to the Garmin outage and I have to say, the memes are excellent.

museum!

  • summer Friday: although we’ve had summer hours, they haven’t felt much like summer Fridays due to workload and because typical activities (museums, beach) have been off the table. Amid some other unplanned errands, I made it up to the Museum of the City of New York to see the outdoor portion of New York Responds, a look at how the city has handled the covid-19 pandemic and protests that followed the killing of George Floyd.  The photos are amazing and I look forward to exploring more of All In NYC: Public Art.

Flat Cari options

about those sinkholes again

  • Saturday: Bix 7 race day! Outfit planning was fun and I lucked out that mom was coming into the city and could bring me my red Squirrel Stampede shirt. It was beginning to feel like Delray when I was hunting for a red shirt. Moral of the story, have one everywhere! The esplanade closure has complicated even erranding, but I capped off the day with sushi and a lovely nap along the river.
  • Sunday: I might move. Eventually. It’s too hot.

31 thoughts on “recognizing burnout

  1. Deborah Brooks

    So I am feeling exactly the same way that you are right now about running and mileage. I want to love what I am doing and not feel like it’s a chore. The summer heat does not help! Congrats on completing your virtual yesterday. Pain free running is what it’s all about!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I said to Darlene too — we three really need to find better things to match at besides being broken. Hope you can ultimately find some answers and relief. I love sitting outside reading in the summer, but summer running can be unpleasant. At the moment I think I’m tolerating it better because I’m just so happy to be able to run. Hugs

      Reply
  2. Marcia

    I feel you. It is crazy hot here today. So glad you could complete the Bix pain free! It’s such a tough call to stop running vs continue and play cat and mouse with pain. Glad the ITB issues are behind you.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      me too. Thanks for “coach voicing” me to remind me pain running was silly. We had a breeze today, but tomorrow is going to be 4:30 or nothing

      Reply
  3. Kimberly Hatting

    I have been there with the running and it feeling like a chore. That’s the beast of marathon training (for me, at least)…I love running, but some of those real long runs get to be more of a dreaded obligation than just a long training run. This is my first summer (since 2013) with no marathon to train for, and the “disappointment” was easier to deal with than anticipated LOL Glad you were able to do the Bix with us!!!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Glad you’re doing relatively OK with that, I know you’d been looking forward to that one. Air Force was it? I said going in I was one and done and doing the marathon didn’t change that, but I do wonder how much of that was injury frustration. I don’t have a particular interest in one any time soon,but it’s not “hell no absolutely not” either. So much fun. Thanks for organizing us

      Reply
  4. Liz Dexter

    Love your grid photos hooray! And I am also not missing races personally at all, while sad for people who want to race and can’t. I’ve been enjoying just running for the sake of it, and keeping myself outside and healthy.

    Every summer I’m glad I live in a temperate country!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Outside and healthy. So true.
      I could not imagine living in the south, or even the mid atlantic. Sadly those who refuse to believe in climate change won’t see it, even if they’re seeing the unseasonable temperatures

      Reply
  5. Kim G

    It was so much fun running with you virtually this weekend – hopefully we can actually meet in person at a race in 2021! Like you, I’m happy to not be training for a race right now The thought of doing long runs in this summer heat is not appealing at all.

    The heat and humidity has been crazy here but I heard on the news this morning that we should get a break around Tuesday (fingers crossed)!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Yes, I think tomorrow is the worst of it. 98 Degrees! That might need to land on my iPod for a run.
      Yes, will come to you or if you find yourself doing one here.

      Reply
  6. Beckett @ Birchwood Pie

    Absolutely 100% with you on the burnout. I’m all for doing things that are uncomfortable but once things get painful it’s time to step back. I think a lot of people needed a break from racing for injury reasons.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Yes, natural habit to go go go, especially if you’ve paid. So nice to have an enforced break

      Reply
  7. Chocolaterunsjudy

    There’s definitely no reason to keep pushing through pain. I have missed racing somewhat, not gonna lie. OTOH, not “having” to run — there’s something to be said for that in Summer! I am NOT running tomorrow. Normally I’d probably try to push through.

    The photos of you guys are so cute! Good job on going 7 miles.

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Think everyone has a different level of missing. My reason for pushing through pain? Le stubborn, of course. So glad for the forced break

      Reply
  8. Michelle D.

    So glad you were able to do the Bix virtual pain-free!

    Too often I have pushed through injury in the name of staying on my training plan – in some ways all of the cancelations of 2020 have been a gift to slow down and take time to heal. I do miss racing, but I think I more miss the chance for meet-ups at races. Hopefully, we can all get back to it in 2021!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      Yes, definitely the meetups. There’s something fun about being there with people even if you don’t run with them.

      Reply
  9. Jessie

    Well, I guess the break came at the right time for you then! Congrats on the virtual race, you guys had a good group do it, how fun!

    Reply
  10. Coco

    Nice going on the Bix7! I’m only committing to 3 milers in July, although once in a while it’s been nice enough to run a bit longer. Love that we have the same shorts. I don’t have to worry about sink holes in my neighborhood, but there is one stretch of sidewalk that tends to flood/get muddy that I need to remember to avoid after heavy rain. I guess I’ve been making up my own Friday hours taking time off to bike with Deb. 😉

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      our summer Fridays are officially half days. They don’t always shake out that way, which was why I didn’t feel too bad taking this one off. Also, have used zero PTO since this all started. Yay friend rides.
      The stretch of the promenade south of the two sinkholes also floods, which I was reminded of yesterday. Mother Nature trying to take back her space.
      Would be fun if we find twinning in a post.

      Reply
  11. Zenaida Arroyo

    I’ve also been burned out a few times and took time off to recover. I did not like running at all.

    I am glad right now I am running mostly for fun and to prepare for next year. 🙂 I mean there will be no races this year so why suffer with long, long runs. I don’t understand why some people are running 14, 15, or 16 miles. For what? And in this heat!?!?!

    Right before I finished reading your post I went to the website to order another Road ID bracelet. I have a black one but this time ordered Sandcastle (yellow, white, and light blue). Thanks for the reminder!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      ooh sandcastle. Glad I didn’t see that. I got the slate one, which I love adn goes perfectly with my Garmin. I’m with you, no motivation for double digits right now

      Reply
  12. Wendy

    I think most of us (except Kim) are feeling burnt out on the summer heat. I’m glad I don’t have to push my miles right now–altho I am eyeballing an interesting virtual race to replace Ice Age. Stay tuned.

    Thanks for the shoutout on the book review; congrats on the Bix; and take it easy!

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      ooh look forward to seeing what you decide to run. So sorry aboutICe Age, you were so looking forward to that.

      Reply
  13. Lisa @ Mile by Mile

    This makes alot of sense and its good that you figured it out! There’s no point pushing past the point of it being enjoyable. The heat just makes it so much harder.

    Reply
  14. Jenn

    That’s a strong revelation! That being said, I’m glad you got to do the Bix 7 with the rest of the bloggers. That looked fun.

    On the one hand, having so many races canceled has not been a bad thing for me, personally. I don’t feel a lot of pressure to push myself too hard right now. That being said, I am a combination of sad and relieved. It’s just a weird, weird world.

    Reply
  15. Darlene S Cardillo

    I came close to signing up for Bix7 but I’m over virtuals and spending $$ for running on my own.

    Glad to hear you are running pain-free.

    I am the queen of running with pain. For me it has a purpose and I’m glad that I did Lebow (my laast nYC run) and Bermuda (my last race.)

    Now I run and walk and take pix. I’m moving and I don’t care if it hurts as long as it is not getting worse by running.

    I miss racing because it gets me to NYC and motivates me to train. Now I am run/walking at intervals with a friend – her pace is 14-15 mm. And I am enjoying it so much.

    Hope to see you before 2021 but who knows??? So far Billy Joel is still on????

    Reply
    1. cari Post author

      I admire your 10 miles. I could not even contemplate that right now. Not in the head space. Totally guilty of running through pain but I think now knowing what pain free feels like? Might be a good incentive not to. But we’ll see if that sticks. Yay on time with friends.
      Bix was fun – but I feel you. The only paid virtuals I’d done were Bix and yours.
      I might wander to albany before then. Will let you know

      Reply
  16. Debbie @ Deb Runs

    I haven’t missed running in 2020 either, but probably more because I’ve realized that if there were races I’d be having FOMO seeing my friends’ pictures. If you’d been able to come down for the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler I would have found a way to crash one of your get togethers with Deborah and Coco so I could meet you!

    It looks like you ladies had a lot of fun running your Bix 7 “together.” Congrats on your longest run since February! That had to feel good!

    Have a great week, Cari!

    Reply
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