Always knew this would happen someday

For a long time, the running part of my life has been solid and improving while the other areas of my life had been unstable, chaotic and even in disarray.  It seems that things have changed.  Now that I'm in a stable, long term relationship with marriage on the horizon, and my job situation is more functional and positive than it has been in years, it seems the trade off is my running skills.

For the last year or so, my running ability has deteriorated.  At first it seemed to only occur with long distances, like marathons and training runs in excess of 18 miles.  But recently I've struggled with short runs and races, posting my worst half marathon result ever last month at the Cary March Madness Half Marathon (on the Ides of March no less). 

Running has been a very cyclic experience for me this last decade.  I've had seasons where I've seemed to slow down only to rise again the next year and light up the boards with new PRs.  But something is different this time.  It seems like I just cannot run fast or far.  I've dropped down to an 8:30 mm pace group, I've done my training runs slower when necessary but I still am struggling.  The only thing that seems to help even marginally is to increase the number of rest days.  Therefore, as soon as I get through the next three races I've already paid for -- St Louis half marathon, Kenosha Marathon and Soldier Field 10 miler -- I will take an entire season off.

I'll still run when I can fit it in, but I won't be tied to a training schedule and there will be no races to complete.  Suffice it to say, I won't be anywhere in the zip code of 1000 miles for 2009.