Overtrained, Burned Out, Whatever

I think I've dipped into overtraining. Ever since the Highlands Ranch 1/2 Marathon two weeks after the Leadville 100, I haven't felt great, save a few decent runs here and there. A nasty cold made its way through our house, leaving me with a hideous cough and a host of symptoms that lasted 3+ weeks.

Then, on Friday night, I lined up for the Scream Scram 5K, a great Halloween-themed event in Wash Park in Denver, and ran a decent time and was first master. But today, when I went out for my run, I felt horrible, mentally and physically, and packed it in after 6 miles--something I'll rarely (read: never) do. I'm a warrior--I battle through tough workouts. But not today. After my aborted run, I headed to the gym and did a decent lower body workout--my first time in the gym since March. And I enjoyed pumping iron. At this point, anything that isn't what I've been doing for 10+ years (running) interests me--even this (mostly after I read this awesome interview with a runner I very much admire).

So how did I get here? Over the summer, while out of work, I consistently put in 15-17 hour weeks with over 15,000 feet of climbing--all while dealing with the stress of being out of work and looking for a job. Thankfully, I was sleeping well every night and so I was able to recover between workouts pretty well (or so I thought at the time). But it's now clear to me that the Leadville Marathon in late June, when I ran a scorching time by my own standards, was the high-water mark of my fitness. By the time I lined up for the Leadville 100 in mid-August, I was on the downside of my fitness--mostly because I'd been pushing myself so hard all summer and once again missed peaking for my A race. And so now I find myself fried mentally and physically and not at all interested in running.

I know this is a temporary thing. In time, my love for running will return (it always does). I'm even burned out on my iPod music. Last week, with no new podcasts to listen to (I'm an avid podcast listener), I just ran in silence with my dog, Nick. Whenever I turned on my music, I immediately got irritated and then turned it back off. Such irritation tells me I need a break.

And so I'm now in a break. I don't know how long it'll last--a week, two weeks, who knows? I plan to lift weights, walk my dog and maybe bike a little. Hell, I might even get on that damned elliptical trainer. Anything but run.

All in all, I've had a good, injury-free year of running.

• I re-qualified (by more than 10 minutes) for the Boston Marathon at the Arizona Rock 'n Roll Marathon.
• I set a PR at the Leadville Marathon that will be tough to beat in future years.
• I had an incredible final 35 miles of the Leadville 100, earning another finish at the Race Across the Sky despite puking 25+ times during the race (food poisoning?).
• I stayed healthy throughout the year, except for a nasty sprained ankle that seemed to patch back together pretty nicely.

I have every reason to look back on 2013 with happiness and fulfillment. I am grateful for my good health and grateful to have enjoyed some awesome races. I'm excited about 2014, especially if it means the Western States 100 (and Leadville!), but at this point I need to call it quits for this racing season and kind of rest and rebuild.