To Train or Not to Train

Last year at this time I signed up for the 20-week training program that ended with a 10-mile race in August and a half marathon in October. The applications for this year's training program are due out any day now.

I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to do it this year or not. I know I'm not doing the same half marathon in October (because I'm working the race instead) .... but I know I want to do *A* big race sometime in the fall, I just haven't found the right race yet. I also know I'll be doing the 10-mile race with my WLS support group and we're not doing it for the best time... we're doing it to finish together no matter how long it takes us.

So the question I'm struggling with right now is "To train or not to train" --- not that I won't train either way, but do I want to sign up for the formal training or just do it on my own?

The formal program will be a built-in motivating factor because I will HAVE to meet my group every week for specific walking distances and I HAVE to do the mid-week homework walks in order to keep up with the increasing weekly distances. The formal program is going to cost me around $175. Yes, I get free race registrations with that price and a bunch of other free stuff.... so money isn't really the factor.

I guess the question in my mind is if I really want to be part of a formal program or if I want to do it on my own. For those who know me, I tend to be a loner and enjoy my own company. I like to travel on my own, go to movies or dinner on my own, walk my nature trails on my own. A group is fine once in a while, but I'm really not a group type of person.

The training program did change my life last year because it helped me achieve goals I fully doubted being able to accomplished on my own. But now that I know I can achieve them, can I do it on my own this year without the help of the "group" ?? And do I really just want to acheive the same old goals I've already acheived or do I want to move on to other things that I haven't yet set my sights on. If I lock myself into 20 weeks of training will I restrict myself from moving in a different direction? Or will switching from walking to learning-to-run be enough of a "new goal" for me?

I really can't seem to decide. So I thought writing it out here might help me figure it out. So far it hasn't. LOL! I'll be pondering the decision in the next few weeks. We'll see what happens.

~Pam