Know When to Fold ‘Em

You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,

Know when to walk away and know when to run.

You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table.

There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.

…a classic Kenny Rogers song that’s played in my head for a few days.

So…I’ve had to learn how to walk away and not run in this weekend’s Houston Half. My first half marathon out of 13 that i committed to run and train and now have to bow out gracefully. In dealing with the disappointment, I was reminded this week by a co-worker (who’s an MD and retired astronaut, yep I said astronaut) that I can run 13.1 miles any day of the week or month once I’ve trained and I’m ready.

The sinus infection from New Year’s Eve didn’t go away and clear up until this week. That means, miles and miles in my training plan not accomplished. And I saw the writing on the wall last weekend when I struggled to hit 6 miles and didn’t recover very well in the days after. In the running world, “if you don’t use it, you lose it.” That’s a quote for running and training. And it’s factual, the more you run, your body will adapt and increase your endurance needed for long distance.

So here’s when to know when to fold ‘em and walk away and when to NOT run. Humbling myself to admit it and deal with it. And try another day. May have to turn running into my weekend therapy and increase my rides on the Peloton bike.

Here’s to all those running this weekend in the Houston half and the Houston marathon. May your training pay off in the bitter cold!