Letting loose

I will not be modest here. I worked hard. Damn hard.

From August, when I began seriously dieting and training for my autumn short-race season, to the Rehoboth Beach Seaside Half-Marathon on Dec. 10, I was strict about it.

I counted every calorie, consuming no more than 1500 plus 100 for each mile run, every day. I have the Excel spreadsheets to prove it.

I also did intense workouts on the track (speedy intervals) and off (tempo runs) and ended each week with a 13.1 mile run.

As a result, I ran some of the best races of my life.

So at the end of race season, it was time to let loose. I closed up the Excel sheets, loosened the belt, and indulged in holiday cookies and cakes. It was the holidays and time to rejoice. I had a hell of a 2011 and I had already begun formulating plans for 2012. In fact, the very Monday after the race, I began with Week 1 of marathon training using Hal Higdon's "Advanced 1" program. But I was not shy about a little pigging out in the process.

The point I am trying to make is that every dedicated runner needs to loosen up once in a while. Know that you'll gain a few pounds and lose a bit of speed, but understand that you'll get back into it when it counts. We runners are a disciplined bunch, after all.