Race Training – Haven Harvest Living

A few weeks ago, the lesson was rest.

I had been dealing with pain from an old ankle injury, and after seeing my doctor, I made the difficult decision to step away from running for a few weeks. At the time, resting felt frustrating. When you’re training toward a goal, every missed run can feel like you’re falling behind.

But eventually, it was time to lace my shoes back up.

And this time, the lesson was about trusting myself enough to run smart.

Ten Miles After a Long Night

Going into my scheduled 10-mile run, I had a few concerns.

For starters, I had just finished working a 10-hour overnight shift. I was worried about how much energy I would have once I got out there.

I was also thinking about the training time I’d lost while allowing my ankle to recover. Ten miles is a substantial distance under normal circumstances. Coming back from an injury made it feel even more significant.

There was a part of me that wanted this run to prove that I hadn’t lost anything.

But I also knew that trying to prove something was probably the quickest way to undo the recovery work I’d already done.

So I made a decision before I really got going:

Run smart.

The First Three Miles Were About Patience

I started the first three miles at a conservative pace and treated them almost like an extended warm-up.

Instead of worrying about what my pace looked like or trying to make up for lost training time, I paid attention to how my body felt.

How did my ankle feel?

How was my breathing?

How was my energy after being awake and working all night?

As the miles passed and my body warmed up, I gradually increased my pace. Eventually, I found a rhythm that felt manageable and settled into it.

And then came the hills.

I Needed the Hills

I deliberately included hills in this run.

Not because I wanted to make an already challenging 10 miles harder, but because hills are part of running—and they’re definitely part of preparing for the Richmond Half Marathon.

I needed to know where I was in my recovery.

The hills gave me an opportunity to test my strength without turning the entire run into a test of how much discomfort I could tolerate.

That distinction has become increasingly important to me.

There is a difference between challenging your body and punishing it.

For a long time, I think I associated progress with pushing harder. Run faster. Go farther. Tough it out. Finish no matter what.

But sometimes progress looks completely different.

Sometimes progress is having enough discipline to hold back.

I Could Have Pushed Harder

During the final few miles, something surprising happened.

I realized I still had more left in the tank.

I could have increased my pace. I could have pushed harder and tried to finish the run with everything I had.

And for a moment, that was tempting.

Instead, I stayed conservative.

This wasn’t race day. There was no medal waiting for me at the end. I didn’t need to prove that I could empty the tank.

The purpose of this run was to continue rebuilding.

So I finished knowing that I probably could have done more.

And strangely enough, I’m proud of that.

Rest Didn’t Take Away My Progress

One of my biggest fears when I had to stop running was that I would lose everything I’d worked for.

I didn’t.

My body remembered.

My endurance was still there.

And perhaps more importantly, I came back with a little more respect for what my body had been asking of me.

My previous lesson was learning when to rest.

This one was learning how to come back.

Neither lesson is particularly glamorous. Neither one produces the kind of numbers we runners like to post and celebrate.

But both are part of becoming a stronger runner.

The Richmond Half Marathon Is Still Ahead

There is still work to do before Richmond.

I want to continue building my endurance, strengthening my ankle, getting more comfortable on hills, and gradually improving my pace.

But that 10-mile run gave me something I needed even more than a fast time.

Confidence.

Not the confidence that comes from proving I can push through anything.

The confidence that comes from knowing I can listen to my body, adjust when necessary, and still keep moving toward my goal.

I’m learning that training isn’t about winning every workout.

It’s about putting enough good days together to arrive at the starting line healthy, prepared, and ready to run.

So I’ll keep building.

One smart mile at a time.

Training for a half marathon has a way of teaching you things that have very little to do with running.

This week, my lesson has been about rest—and I haven’t particularly enjoyed it.

As I continue training for the Richmond Half Marathon, an old injury started acting up again. I tried to pay attention to what my body was telling me, and eventually I went to see my family doctor. After evaluating what was going on, she recommended that I take some time away from training to allow my body to rest. She also recommended medication to help manage the pain and muscle discomfort I’ve been experiencing.

So, for now, the running shoes are taking a break.

And apparently, I am supposed to be okay with that.

When Rest Doesn’t Feel Productive

I am not very good at taking breaks from a training schedule.

There’s something satisfying about looking at a plan and completing each workout as scheduled. Run. Check. Strength training. Check. Long run. Check.

Resting because my body needs it feels different.

There’s no mileage to record. No pace to analyze. No little accomplishment waiting for me at the end of the workout.

And I’ve been restless.

Part of me wants to get back out there because I have a race I’m preparing for and goals I want to accomplish. But I’m also trying to change the way I think about productivity.

Sometimes doing more isn’t the productive choice.

Sometimes the productive choice is stopping.

Listening to My Body—and My Doctor

One of the things I’m learning through this training cycle is that there is a difference between discomfort that comes with challenging myself and pain that deserves my attention.

This time, my body was asking me to listen.

And my doctor was asking me to do the same thing.

So I am.

The time away from running has actually been helping. The pain and discomfort have had an opportunity to settle, which is a pretty good reminder that perhaps my body knew what it was talking about.

That doesn’t mean I’ve suddenly become good at sitting still.

I haven’t.

Finding Other Ways to Move

Since running isn’t currently on the schedule, I’ve been finding gentler ways to occupy myself while I wait for my doctor’s recommended rest period to end.

I’ve been stretching.

I’ve been working on small projects in the garden.

I’ve been moving when it feels appropriate without turning every bit of movement into a workout.

And maybe that’s part of the lesson too.

My garden doesn’t grow faster because I stand over it demanding that it hurry up.

Some things need time.

Apparently, runners do too.

Rest Is Still Part of the Training

I’m trying to remind myself that taking some time off doesn’t erase the work I’ve already done.

A few missed runs don’t suddenly mean that I’m no longer training for the Richmond Half Marathon.

Right now, rest is the training.

The goal isn’t simply to make it through every workout on my training calendar. The goal is to arrive at the starting line healthy enough to run—and hopefully enjoy—the race I’ve been preparing for.

If slowing down for a little while gives me a better chance of doing that, then slowing down isn’t failure.

It’s strategy.

And perhaps it’s growth.

There was a time when I probably would have been much more tempted to push through the pain because stopping felt like weakness. I’m learning to see things differently now.

Caring for my body isn’t something I do instead of pursuing my goals.

It’s part of how I pursue them.

Waiting for the Next Run

I’m still restless.

I’m still thinking about running.

And yes, I’m already looking forward to putting my shoes back on.

But for now, I’m stretching, tending to my garden, following my doctor’s recommendations, and giving my body the time it’s asking for.

The Richmond Half Marathon is still ahead of me.

My training hasn’t ended.

It has simply entered a quieter phase.

And maybe this week isn’t about learning how far I can run.

Maybe it’s about learning when not to.

— Lulu

Come Grow With Me 🌱

Haven Harvest Living is about building a life rooted in purpose—through food, gardening, movement, books, and reflection.

Follow along as I continue my journey toward the Richmond Half Marathon and learn what it means to move, rest, and grow with intention.

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Tag: Race Training

Training for a half marathon has a funny way of teaching you lessons that have very little to do with running.