“After the marathon” became our plan for almost everything at an increasing degree over the last several weeks. We really need to stop eating out so much…after the marathon. We need to clean the house…after the marathon. I need to get back to my job search…after the marathon.
So it’s now, “after the marathon” and we’re still struggling to switch our focus to the other important things in our lives. For week one post-marathon it’s still about the marathon…recovery. That’s perfectly acceptable, but there’s no more denying that summer is over.
Monday was a holiday. I think that’s one of the things I love about the timing of the Chicago Marathon. While Memorial Day (3 weeks before the real start of summer) is an unofficial kick-off to the season, Columbus Day (3 weeks after the real end to summer) is a nice conclusion.
To be clear, I am not a fan at all of “Columbus Day” and recognize all issues in celebrating Christopher Columbus in this way, but I AM a big fan of having a holiday the 2nd Monday in October. It’s great timing for a long weekend and final hurrah down the shore, by the lake, or wherever one spends the long, warm days of summer.
If you’ve ever spent the second weekend of October at the beach, you know that’s when everything starts closing up for the winter, not Labor Day. For adults anyway, there’s still some warm days to enjoy a more quite vacation time after the kids have returned to school. I tend to hold onto summer for as long as I can.
For those of us who trained all summer, the Chicago Marathon was a celebration of all that we accomplished to get to the starting line. Monday we showed off our medals and began our recovery. Kurt and I got out for a walk Tuesday at the Chicago Botanic Gardens and last night we put in a few easy run/walk miles with our crew in Logan Square, while I began to think about the training plan for the Surf City Marathon in February.
“After the marathon” means getting serious about life goals again and letting go of care-free summer days, switching out all the summer gear for winter gear. Getting caught up on laundry and housekeeping, preparing more meals at home, and for me, finding a full-time job so I can continue to pay college tuition and race entry fees, and find fulfillment beyond running.
Until that happens, I’m going to enjoy this “after the marathon” peace, the beautiful fall foliage, and use the self-esteem boost to carry me to my next achievement…in running and life.
