To Run or Not to Run....

     To run or not to run, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this is probably a question that everyone from the novice runner, fun runner to the elite runner has asked themselves.
I'm sure all runners have woke up and their body just isn't in the mood to run.  If they manage to get themselves out the door, then every step feels like you have weights attached to your feet.
Sometimes you get going and after a few miles you start feeling great again.  Other times no matter how in shape you are, you practically fight to finish even the shortest of distances.

     It's a tough one for me right now.  Prior to this 50 State Marathon goal, when this question would come up I would either just rest or take it easy.  (sometimes too easy :) 
But right now since I am running a marathon a month or at times every few weeks, I don't really have the old options I once used.  Because once I finish one, I immediately need to start getting ready and keeping the distances up to remain prepared for the next one.

    Some races are easier than others to recover, but sometimes like this past week it's almost like nothing I do can zap my body out of the painful slump it's been in.
Sure, I know the reasoning behind it, running the OKC Marathon in the cold rain took a bit more out of me than a race normally does and I could definitely work on losing some pounds.
But usually I pull a few tricks I've learned from the past out and within a couple of days it's running fun as usual.  Unfortunately the old tricks aren't working this time, so I guess it's time for new tricks.

     I've training and ran 17 Marathons over the past ten years and one thing I have learned is listen to your body.  There is a big difference between "bad pain" and "good pain" and how to run with each.  
I've also got another pain that I like to call "tired pain".  Right now I'm fighting through tired pain of the legs and feet.
I know I technically don't have to go through this and I could take a long break, but frankly I don't want to.  I am having a blast with this goal.
Plus, I've got two marathons coming up over the next month and a half that I am really excited about.  So I really have no other choice I guess but quit my complaining and toughen up and push through the tiredness and hopefully in two weeks (the next Marathon) I'll be back to normal again in time for race day.
So here is to a New Trick, I'm going to try pushing through the "tired pain" and see if pushing it a little more than usual will be just the thing to work.  Time will tell I guess :)   --Keep Running--