Post-Marathon Sanity Strategy

 It has been a mere two weeks since the Lakefront Marathon (which was the best;) however, I've been having an incredibly hard time NOT hitting the road and keeping up my miles. In fact, I would dare say that I've been down right bitchy and I would definitely say I've been eating too much. (I'm bored. It's Wisconsin. Eat/Drink/Repeat/etc.) I just feel puffy and annoyed. I guess this is the withdrawal stage everyone has talked about.

Common thoughts throughout the day lately: 
1. This water retention is normal after a marathon. (to myself)
2. If you say another word, I might kill you. (to others)
3. I'm in the mood for something salty. (to cupboard)
4. Don't we have any drinks? No. What about that NyQuil?
5. No, I didn't work out. These are pajamas.

Don't get me wrong; I have been working out and probably too much, too soon. It is STILL not enough in my mind. I have been looking into a post-race strategy that I think I can handle - but the best and most common advice I've been able to find is essentially a reverse taper. I've been trying to mix in Insanity, a little yoga and even TaeBo - sadly, those things don't work on my brain as much as a loooonnnnng run. I would just say forget the effing plan and put in the miles that I want to run, but I have noticed a little sharp-icky pain in my knee. (These jerky knees will be the death of me.) SO - I will have to take it easy, but know that in the meantime - I am fighting off a serious case of post-race rage.

To deal with my head and my excess energy, I have been doing a lot of the other things I love. That is a bonus, in a way. For example - I have been cooking like crazy. Cooking makes me almost as happy as running. I've also spent a lot of time getting ready for an upcoming craft fair here in Milwaukee (Hover Craft - for those of you in town) - so I have been doing a bunch of work in my Etsy shop: PaperMichelle. Most importantly, I have re-entered the world of the social. There are a bunch of great things that come from having your time returned to you (this is what I HAVE TO tell myself to get through the mental torture.) But it is true.

The reality of the situation is that I'm super happy that my complaint is that I AM RECOVERING FROM A MARATHON. I am also really grateful that the training I will do (when I am healthy) will be for the sake of competing in the Boston Marathon. That is rad.