I’m 31 and ran at a mid major D1 program in college back in the day. I’m running higher mileage than I have before—consistently 80-100 miles per week. Two quality workouts a week. Following a Jack Daniels style training plan. All of this is resulting in PRs across multiple distances. A recent 10k on the track indicates I’m capable of a 2:21 marathon.
Im very motivated to attempt a low 2:20s marathon this fall, and I’m confident I’ll do it. However, after that I don’t know if I’ll have the drive to keep working to improve. I’m constantly feeling beat down mentally and physically. I haven’t been seriously injured, but I’ve had a fair share of physical therapy and chiropractor sessions to treat mild flare ups. I also don’t have much energy after my runs, so I mostly lay around doing nothing. When I am out of bed, I’m walking around my house like an old man.
Has anyone walked away from competitive running immediately after running a PR? I would think that running a PR mostly motivates people to keep going. If you did walk away right after a PR, what was the thought process leading to your decision?