Sometime you gotta know when to fold 'em.

Today on the way back from the Doctor's office I started to think about how beautiful it was outside. I was super geeked to grab my shoes and get in some leisurely miles.... when I remembered that I am sick (sinus infection)- prescriptions for antibiotics and nasal spray in hand offer the reality check I needed. Have I mentioned that I have been sick for about 3 weeks now? Yeah welcome to runner's hell.

Sometimes when you have goals you need to let nothing short of an act of God get in your way. Well folks I am at that crossroads yet again. Act of God... step right this way...

I have roughly 6 weeks left until the Flying Pig Half Marathon. I am just not in the position to pull of the half with just 6 weeks of training under my belt. I barely survived RnR AZ, as some of you were witness to first hand.

To top it off, I would only really have 1 week of training, plus a potential 11 days due to my April work schedule. I refuse to pull another RnR AZ and run cold. It is not healthy, it is not smart, and it is far from the thing a runner should do. I seriously could have hurt myself in January if I had not ran as smart as I did and walked when I needed it. I am taking it as a stern warning, and swear that I will never EVER do that again. RnR AZ was my get out of jail free card.

I am taking my hat out of the ring and withdrawing from the Flying Pig Half. It is the only smart and responsible choice that I can make at this point. My body has taken a thrashing this past month, and I just know I will not be able to pull 13 miles out at the rate I am going.
Sometiems as a runner hoping to accomplish what you have set your sights on, you have to take stock and really weigh the options. In my case, I could go ahead and stay in the Pig, pull the 13.1 miles out in a half-assed attempt, potentially ending my running career by hurting myself beyond repair.

Alternatively, I could stay at home and wait until my body is completely ready for me to start running again. At which time, start back into my training calendar and run a good 13.1 miles, well prepped, well trained, well timed, and above all else, well thought out.

If you want to accomplish your goal no matter the cost, a foolish runner would opt for plan A - run it anyway. The smart runner realizes that planned properly, there will always be next year for THAT particular race, and there will always be many, many more races where that comes from.

Yeah I am bummed. I missed the opening two races of running season (Shillelegh and the Corktown Races). I am going to miss the Flying Pig. However, my running schedule has become flexible, and honestly - I am geraing up for a fabulous showing at the CRIM this year, as well as Chicago a few times over.

Them be the breaks a runner takes I guess. You win some, you lose more, but in the end... you run now (or don't run now, as my case would be) so you can run more later.

Consider this my fold... I am just not ready to go all in.