Is it just me..........

or does anyone else find that when training for a race they become a little obsessed.

I'm training for a half marathon in Feb and taking part in a 10k in November and it's honestly starting to consume my every waking thought.

I run 5 days a week at 6 am and then do either a  spin class or  body pump class 3 evenings a week. My runs are a combination of tempo runs, hill runs, intervals and long runs.

It's got to the point where I plan each days meals to ensure I get the right amount of nutrition, I often wake up in the middle of the night thinking about my run that morning and I actually plan my social life around my training as god forbid I miss a session. My partner and family think that I am doing too much, but I enjoy it and feel a sense of achievement when working towards my goal.

I'm wondering if it is just me or if anyone else has this slightly OCD approach to their training  

Sounds exactly like me!

Yep, I think you are a little too obsessed. 

If I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about running, I'd begin to wonder if I had my priorities right in life.  There are far more important things to occupy your mind - or there should be.

Running is part of life, not life itself (unless you've really screwed things up)

Yeah, it does seem a little peculair to me, I would definitely be more concerned about the house purchase, it's often a pretty frought time for most people.

Nowt wrong with putting your heart and soul into your hobbies though but I try very hard to have balance in all areas of my life these days.  I drink but not too much.  I eat healthily during the week but will indulge at weekends and I run and play golf but keep time for me and the lass and our dog.  I work long and hard but give myself breaks and proper down time (mobile OFF!).  If any of that tilts too much in one direction, I find there can be an adverse knock-on effect on to all the other parts of life and that would include running too much or obsessing about it too much.

What works for me might not work for you though.  I think I should look into Buddhism really

Grrr.  It's people like you lot, that condemn me to knowing I'll never finish near the front of races

Iwan Jones 4 wrote (see)

. Once I hit a plateau I'm sure the novelty will wear off! 

 if the novelty wears off then you are doing something wrong.....

best of luck with your 2 races but would be interesting to know if your enthusiasm is affected if you don't get the times you wanted.

It sounds like you could be an endorphin addict, Victoria.  Me too.  I'm also a recovered alcoholic, I understand obsession; if I wasn't drinking I was thinking about drinking; I planned my life around it.

There are far more unhealthy obsessions than running, but I'm sure your obsession will pass with time; everything changes with time; and you'll settle down.

They do say that an addiction takes something from your life, it doesn't add to it.  If you're not socialising, working - doing the stuff you should be doing - 'cos you're out running, then that's a cause for concern.  Running should add something to our lives, and not be something we use to hide from life.

Victoria Wood: join the club!

Yes, I'm obsessed with my running - but my husband thinks that's better than obsessing about work all the time.

Obsess all you like, so long as you enjoy it! There are lots worse, less healthy things to obsess about than running...

Oh your in good company here Victoria.

I get called obsessed by some of my family, I just say, Obsessed is what the lazy call the dedicated  My dads a long distance coach so at least he understands!

I'll only lose the obsession if targets and races dont go to plan. Its all or nothing for me, full on training/obsession, or nothing.

Victoria - I'm with you, don't call it obsession call it focused on doing the best you can

Strangely - it must be hard being perfect  have you reached a high standard or are you content being "just average"!!

My wife just thinks I'm obsessed but I like to think of it as achieving the best I can in work, home and sport!!

Strangely - it must be hard being perfect  have you reached a high standard or are you content being "just average"!!

Sorry, I know you're only jesting but I didn't mean to come across as superior.  Not my intention at all.  I have just tried very hard in life to find a balance that keeps me happy and i've found that not TOO much of any one thing is the answer.  if I ever do stray from that path, i usually find that there's a negative knock on effect that results from it.

But don't confuse that with a lack of dedication.  if dedication meant giving up the other things in my life though, then i'd figure that running isn't for me.  I don't subscribe to that, though.  I run 40 miles a week and that will, in time, become 50 or more as I step up the training.  Even at 60 miles PW, I don't feel like this would impinge too greatly on the other aspects of my life to give me cause for concern.  100 miles per week?  Yes, I do believe at that level it would be too much so unless I find a less demanding career, the absolute top of the tree would be beyond me if that's what's required to get there.

So no, not content being average.  I want to strive to be as good as I can be whilst keeping my training within sensible levels of time absorption.

If your dedication is to put running above all other things in your life, I fear that the return you'll get from that will never, ever give you the return you are looking for to warrant that level of dedication.  You'll have a very hollow life.

Strangely - Hear what you are saying and agree with getting balance rightnd yes I was pulling your leg .

For the record I am doing very nicely in life and happy with my balance I am as dedicated to my family and work as all other aspects just life itself is an obsession.

I strive to be the best I can be and I don't think I'm doing bad and I'm definately above average

  I know man, just thought your question deserved an answer.  I think it's important. We all get absorbed in these pages and sometimes and maybe a little envious of other's progression curves and the countless hours they seem to find to train.

True happiness is to be found being content with your lot, however small or grand.  We can't all put 100 miles in a week, it simply isn't practical and if that stifles our full potential, we have to be prepared to accept it.

They can be dangerous things sometimes, can forums

I'm meant to be resting before a race tomorrow, and because I can't run today (now), I'm feeling restless, irritable and discontented.  All week I have run in the rain and the dark, and now the sun is shining and it looks lovely out there.

I'm thinking "Just 3 miles won't hurt!", but when I was an active alcholic I'd think "Just a couple of cans won't hurt!".

I'm pretty sure running is an addiction, but for me it won't drag me into a gutter.

Maybe half-an-hour on my bike instead eh?