Taming the Monkey...

This may come as news to some people (those of you who are in denial) but here it is: We're all (myself included) addicted to running...

This is were I could go into a "you might be an addicted runner if:" Jeff Foxworthy parody and then go on to talk about pre-race rituals, milage logs, training plans, Garmins, etc... but I'll spare us both the embassement.

Now some of you readers might be thinking this statement doesn't apply to you. If so here's a simple one question quiz which will determine if you are or are not an addicted runner... ready for it??? Here it is:

Do you ever read and/or write blogs about running?

If the answer is no, or if you still refuse to admit your addiction please feel free to navigate away from this page now...

...Alright, well if you're still reading then we've all made an important breakthrough... as you know the first step to taming an addiction is accepting that you have a problem.

So from here the line of thought goes something like this... Alright, so I have a running problem. So What! There's a lot worse things to be addicted to (like biking for instance).

Let me try to shine some light on the dangers of that lie of thinking: Have you ever headed out the door for you scheduled run even though you were nursing an injury and your better judgement knew damn well that you'd be better off taking an extra days rest? Or have you ever missed a scheduled run for reasons beyond your control and spent the rest of your day disgruntled, moody, and just plain unpleasant to be around because you didn't get your daily fix? Or have you ever felt so good on a long run that you decided to put in a few extra unscheduled miles and wound up *gasp* OVERTRAINING!!!

The urge to overtrain is the demon that I'm battling right now. For the last several months I've been suffering through minor aches and pains as I slowly but steadily recovered from the marathon I was ill prepared to run, but too hard headed not to. This past week I've finally turned the corner. My runs have been feeling great, my legs are feeling fresh, and my motivation is soaring. All the while the evil monkey on my back is egging me on... more miles, more miles, harder, faster, longer (that's what she said)...

I've put in 20 miles so far in the first four days this week (not a lot by some standards, but enough considering that I'm already at my weekly record for the year)... my legs are a bit fatigued (especially after my personal record 34:50 five miler I put in on Wednesday) but my muscles are still twitching with anticipation at the urge to get out and run again.

Now's the time I have to make a stand and take control! I can either curb my inner yernings and force myself to take a day off (or at the very least compromise and x-train) or I can succumb to the monkey and keep hurdling down the road towards overtraining and certain injury... Ultimately the choice is mine, but will I have the strength the make the right one?... I guess history will be the judge!