Off-season???

Is there really such a thing as "off season"?  I realize I have been running for 2 years, but I kinda thought since one could find a race anytime of the year, it was a year round season.  I'm finding out that there is a spring season and fall season, which suits me just fine really not into running in the summer...not.so.much. 

Anyway, for sake of discussion, what do you do in the off-season?  Do you stop all together?  Do you back off your training for relaxed, chilled out easy paced runs, just to keep yourself going (Sounds Heavenly right??) Do you keep at it hard and heavy, pushing yourself to injury point because you have plenty of time to recover (which you wont do) and want to know exactly what your limitations are? 

I'm definitely not Numero Uno....someone would get hurt if I stopped all together.  I had to take extended time off after Lincoln and I wanted to gouge myself in the eye with a hot fork.  I cannot take time off without losing my freakin' mind....major props to my friends who have been and are currently battling being sidelined.....Katie, Heather, Kari....I dont know how you do it and stay sane :)

Number 2.....partially.  When I have running buddies to run with.   Its hard to have a conversation with someone when your both blowing up your lungs and I definitely love a good, easy cruise with hubby or the girl-child.  Pushing the jogger typically because a chilled out run, albeit on that makes me want to die, but its definitely not about breaking time limits as much as getting to the end of the run without losing a child (they tend to bail out, remember?)

Number 3....that would be me.  I cannot just go out and run, alone, without trying to hurt myself.  And I don't mean "hurt" as in finding the nearest pot-hole and running right into it, tripping falling, breaking an ankle, wrist and probably getting a concussion, hurt myself, but the burn and ache of pushing my legs and lungs, as fast and as hard as I can.  Seeing exactly how fast I can run, how long it takes me to get to my in-laws house, how bad the weather can be, how much self-inflicted pain I can bring upon myself.  If I really can do 100 crunches a day (I can) and 75 push ups (cannot) for a week straight. 

Each time I hit a goal, I'm happy...then I find something else.  So far, I haven't found my limitations yet.  I have found pain...and progress.   I have learned that I am only as weak as I think I am....and I am much stronger then I give myself credit for.  The only way to silence the weak Tara is to prove her wrong.  I don't always want to run.  I don't really like crunches.  I really REALLY hate push ups....yet I do them all because that little voice in my head that says sit on the couch and do nothing annoys the shit out of the voice that says, get off your ass and do something so you can buy those really cute jeans in a size smaller then you have been wearing :)

So I guess that means I don't think there is ever an "off season".  For me, there is race season and training season.....races are a few months out of the year....training is 12 months out of the year. 

Am I obsessed?  Yep....sure am.

Do I need an intervention?  Probably.

Am I hurting myself?  Not yet, but some may think its coming soon.

Is it selfish?  Yes...but since its the only "me" time I get from Thing 1 and Thing 2.....I dare you to try and take it away from me :)