Happy Friday! Since it’s the last Friday of the month, I’m linking up with Marcia from Marcia’s Healthy Slice for Runfessions.
I’m also linking up for Friday Five 2.0 with Rachel from Running on Happy and Lacey and Meranda from Fairytales and Fitness.
I’m more than happy to say goodbye to August. Why you may ask? Well September is going to be a very fun month for me! My favorite season, Fall, starts in late-September and I have two racecations – RnR Philly and RnR Montreal! I’m looking forward to all of it!
But as with every month, I’ve got a few things to get off my chest for August.
I runfess that I’m not looking forward to running the NYC Marathon
Look, I feel like an a**hole for even writing that, but it’s the truth. The NYC Marathon is such a hard race to get into and I know that I am extremely lucky to have the opportunity to run it again. Chicago was always my goal race for this year and I’m very excited to run it. NYC – not so much. I am really craving a break from training (I’ve been “in training” for races since February) but I know it’s going to be hard to stay in “training mode” for another 4 weeks after Chicago. Plus the NYC course is hard and I haven’t done any hill work in weeks. I know in my head that it will be fine and I’ll just take my time running it, but my heart is definitely not in it. This is why I wish more races would offer bib transfers. I would rather my bib be used by someone that REALLY wants to run the race.

This will be my motto for the NYC Marathon!
I runfess that I’m annoyed that I can’t train in Chicago Marathon gear
The NYC Marathon releases “In Training” gear months before the race. When I contacted the Chicago Marathon, they said items would be available in September. I don’t really see the point in that since the race is in October…Anyways, this will probably be the only time I run the race so it would have been great to rock some “In Training” pieces. I think this is something they should change for sure!
I runfess that I’m excited for my staycation
While I may not be going to a tropical island, I am excited for my upcoming staycation which will start today at 4:00pm! I don’t go back to work until September 5th. I’m going to use next week to run some errands, catch up on sleep and do some reading. I’ll also be sure to enjoy some margaritas or pina coladas so I can really feel like I’m some place tropical, lol. I’ve been feeling a little burnt out when it comes to work and marathon training, so I think this staycation is coming at a perfect time to be honest.
I runfess that I’ve been enjoying reality TV more than usual
Okay, so I blame this on the fact that most of the shows I watch (This is Us, Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, Family Guy, Big Bang Theory) were on hiatus this summer! I am typically not a fan of reality TV shows because let’s face it, most are fake. My friends and I really got into this season of The Bachelorette. I’ve never watched any seasons of the show before but I have to admit that I really like it! I also like 90 Day FiancΓ© (it airs on TLC). It’s a little cray-cray but that is what makes it interesting!
I runfess that my meal prepping skills have been very poor
My brain knows that I need to meal prep in order to make the best food choices. For some reason this doesn’t calculate to me actually doing enough meal prepping. Sometimes it comes down to me getting caught up in other things and running out of time to meal prep on Sunday. Other times I just don’t know what I want to meal prep! It’s hard to commit to eating the same thing for a few days. I’m going to spend some time next week going through my cookbooks and pulling out some recipes to make for the next few weeks. Wish me luck!
That’s it for this month – thanks for reading my runfessions!
Do you have anything you want to runfess for August?
I like your Motto! Just think, you are doing it for the experience. Who cares about your time. You are lucky that you are able to run them!
Exactly! I just have to keep using that mindset, even when things get rough lol.
you have been working so hard on your running this summer and it’s only natural that you might start to feel a little tired or hostile towards some of your racing. Keep focusing on your goal of Chicago and just see how you feel afterwards.
Thanks Deborah! I had a cut back week so I’m feeling a little better about things, I think that after I run Chicago I might be a little re-energized.
Meal prep is overrated. At least that’s what I tell myself. I generally plan my dinners as I’m driving home from work. Or sometimes as I’m looking in the fridge at 6:00 to see what I can throw together.
I hope you’re planning on some down time after NYC . Sounds like you could use it. You’ve pretty much been in training all year.
I think that if I can keep some quick options in my fridge/freezer like cooked chicken breast and frozen veggies, that will make life much easier lol
I’m definitely looking forward to some downtown this winter – I’m tired of training, lol
We have a race here that offers “in training” shirts but honestly, I don’t want another shirt. They give out a lot of swag at the actual race (another shirt, hat, socks, and two other things) My race shirt pile is bigger then my normal running shirt pile.
Also, never feel bad that your not into running a race – even if it’s a big one!
There’s just something special about the in-training shirts though. I have a lot of races shirts that I send in to Project Repat to make quilts – it’s pretty cool!
Meal prep for me lately means having a bag of salad greens in the fridge. The kind you buy at Trader Joe’s. I think you may find NYCM to be “easier” this year after all the training you’ve done. You’ll have all the endurance from Chicago..;and now you know the course really well. I was watching the Bachelorette but fizzled on it I have no idea who she even picked. Enjoy that staycation!
I love the bagged salad from TJ’s – so good! That’s true about having endurance from Chicago going into NYCM. I also think I’ll do run/walk intervals which will make it better too.
Sorry to hear your motivation for NYC is dampening, but with two big races coming up so close together, that is only natural. I am doing Chicago on 10/8 and then MCM on 10/22. I haven’t really lost my interest, but am starting to wonder if I was crazy to sign up for both. Similarly, I feel lucky to have gotten spots in these two lottery races. This will be my 5th consecutive Chicago, so I will have legacy status (guaranteed entry in future races).
I’m with you on the bib transfers. As long as it’s done legally and through the race organizers, why not? My youngest son is signed up for Chicago and won’t be doing it. Such a waste.
It’s really a Catch-22. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to run these races, but it is a bit much! That’s awesome that you will have legacy status for the Chicago Marathon!!
That’s a shame that your son is not able to run Chicago. But yes, I wish more races, especially these HUGE marathons would consider it. I would be more than willing to pay a fee to do a race transfer as well.
I love the idea of meal prep, but I never do it! Sounds like your ready for a staycation. Running such big races so close together would be overwhelming. I’m sure once you get to the starting line of NYC the excitement will get you through!
I think you’re right. Just thinking about doing both races makes me a little nervous but I think those nerves will go away once I reach the start line.
I runfess that August was the month of chaffing – I discovered new chafe spots that I never even knew existed. Plus, you already know a bit about my current burn out.
I am so happy you are on vacation. Wohoo!
Could you defer the NYC bib until next year and see if you are more in the mood for it then???
YES! August has been the month of chafing. I’m counting down the hours until my staycation, haha.
I can defer it to next year but I would have to re-pay the fee π I just can’t see paying almost $500 for a race. Also I don’t want to train in the summer for another marathon next year, lol
I like your approach to NYC – just celebrate the finish…that’s pretty much going to be my plan for my September race.
Enjoy your staycation! Mine started today and I’m so looking forward to some days off!
Enjoy your staycation as well!
Yay for staycation! Your plans sound great, including the tropical drinks π That makes sense about not being too excited for NYC when you have Chicago right before hand. It really would be nice if bib transfers were allowed. Hopefully you’ll be able to have fun with it!
Thanks! I’m looking forward to some tropical drinks, haha.
Enjoy your staycation. I did two days of it last week, and it was nice being able to spread out my errands over 4 days, get some appointments in without worrying about my work schedule, and of course sleep. I caught up on sleep, but now I feel tired again. Thanks work.
Thanks so much Lesley! I plan on catching up on sleep for sure. I know that will definitely help with giving me some more energy.
I totally agree on the bib transfers. You’d think a race as big as NYC would allow it. It just seems like such a win-win!
Just not into reality tv. At all. But The Walking Dead . . . I runfess I was annoyed the night my husband had a dinner meeting and I couldn’t watch the next episodes (I don’t cheat!).
Enjoy that staycation! Hopefully you’ll have great weather for it.
Thanks Judy! I will definitely enjoy my time off next week π
I think you will really enjoy the NYC Marathon. You may be just a little tired of training, especially in the heat of summer. I like 90 Day FiancΓ© too. I’m ready for a new group of fiancΓ©s though.
I sure hope so, but I do think that me feeling kind of burnt out is affecting my thoughts on NYCM.
A new season of 90 Day Fiance just started 2 weeks ago. You should check it out!
My last three marathons have been fun, but all of them had unusual race day circumstances (unexpected ones at that) and my finish times were majorly compromised as a result. But, I still had a fun time conquering the 26.2 distance, and the finish lines all felt euphoric (well, sort of LOL). For me, that is satisfaction enough….I”m just not all into finish times and constant pace-monitoring when I do a race of that distance.
I agree with you. For Chicago I do want a PR, but if it doesn’t happen, I won’t be disappointed. As long as I can cross that finish line, I’ll be super happy!
Are you also watching Bachelor in Paradise then!? I like it more than the Bachelorette!!
I’m not watching Bachelor in Paradise but maybe I should start!
Oh, Montreal is going to be great! I am so tired of cooking. Too bad I’m not tired of eating! I understand your feelings about NYC. Hopefully you’ll feel different by race day!
LOL, I too am never tired of eating, which is a problem, haha!
I’m so excited for Montreal!
Oh girl, I feel you on the training front!!! I would take at least a week after Chicago for some downtime. And then just sprinkle in some runs here and there. That stinks you can’t defer or transfer your bib, though. π
My training plan post-Chicago is pretty light, which is good (I think my longest run is like 8-10 miles).
I can defer it to next year, but I’d have to pay the fee again and I don’t really want to run a Fall marathon next year, so I’ll be running it this year, lol
Don’t feel guilty about not feeling excited for NYC!! Not every training cycle is gonna feel great and some races just end up not being what you imagined. Never apologize for letting yourself FEEL true feelings!!
Thanks Angela. I just feel guilty because I know people that would absolutely love the opportunity, so I don’t want to seem ungrateful at all!
Nothing wrong with being excited for a staycation. We a mini version of that when the kids went to their grandmother’s for a 4 day weekend. It was quite nice.
And don’t fee back about NYC. Training hard for that long can have some burn out, especially when there’s another race that’s your real goal. I can relate to that.
Thanks John! I’m hoping that I’ll get a second wind of energy b/t Chicago and NYCM which will make me more excited to run the race!
“Look, I feel like an a**hole for even writing that” <—– That made me laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As for reality TV, my husband and I LOVE Big Brother! It's only on in the summer, but it's on 3 times a week. This season is terrible, but normally it's really good.
LoL – I just had to keep it real! But I’m glad it made you laugh π
My sister is a huge Big Brother fan as well!
I think a staycation would be fun, but I’m afraid both my husband and I would be tempted to sneak in a little work here and there. I love the staycation poster you used – so cute!
I agree, the “in training for” shirts and other items should be available as soon as you sign up for a race; otherwise, shouldn’t they say “trained for.” π
I made a deal wth myself that I will not log in to check my work email all week. I’m treating this as a true vacation, lol.
There’s nothing wrong with longing to rest after Chicago instead of turning your focus to NYC instead. Are you able to defer your NYC registration?
I can defer but I would have to pay the race fee again π Also I really don’t want to run a marathon next year, lol
So sorry you feel that way about NYC. I will tell you it is amazing race and just enjoy it. But I get how you feel, I dropped out of a marathon for that reason, but it was a smaller one. Good luck!
I ran NYC last year so I’m trying to remember how awesome the experience was so that I can start to get excited about the race!!