The Bends: Post Pittsburgh Half Marathon Decompression Chamber

I think that I am in danger of getting the Runner's Version of the Bends.   The simple truth is that 20 hours of driving in four days and a Half Marathon have left feeling spent.  I made it back into the gym yesterday, but kept my workout light and I am planning to run for the first time tonight.  However, my race schedule is looking bare and I don't want my post race euphoria to fade.  I have one race planned in June, and that's it.  After that, nothing.  The plan is to take a break and just enjoy running and working out without the pressure of training for a race.  In theory, I like the plan.  I am looking forward to some super sweaty Sunday in Umstead and early morning runs through the streets of Raleigh.  Last year, I spent most of July and August sick from the flu, and I didn't get the opportunity to enjoy my summer.  This year, I plan to take things slow and try to enjoy the sweltering summer heat.  Fun times, right?

Decompreesion Commence!

This all sounds good to me as I write it.  But, at times when I am sitting in my over air conditioned office, listening to the guy down the hall drone on incessantly to some poor bastard stuck on speaker phone, I begin thinking back on how much I enjoyed Running Pittsburgh and my nearly blank race schedule.  Then I find that I am browsing through upcoming races trying to justify ways to register for them.  I know that I won't give in.  But, the temptation is palpable.  I want the feeling that I felt as I lined up at the start or as I crossed the finish.  Heck, I even want the self doubt I had at mile nine as I wondered why the heck I was putting myself through all the pain for a silly medal and t-shirt (actually, a sweet long sleeve tech shirt).  Fighting through the Runner's Version of the Bends kind of sucks.  We have all been there, and I know that I just need to come up slowly.  Let the post race exhaustion fade and get back into a workout and running routine and I won't feel so bad about the fading of my post race afterglow.  I know it, but damn days spent in the post race decompression chamber don't just seem colorless.