Getting back into running after a marathon

I have noticed that after a marathon event that it is both hard to break from your established training routine and get back into it at the same time. In reality it is good to give the body a rest after the rigors of preparing, break the habits of training(assuming you aren't going to keep up with your routine, which for the most part is everyone) and ease into your post marathon life. Unless you injure yourself this is often tough to do. After I did a full marathon two years ago, I found myself running 15 miles on a grueling course just to prove I could do it. Bad idea, my body was tapped after the big even and pushing myself too hard was a mistake. I should have done several recovery runs instead of another big one.

This time I am going the extreme opposite and not running at all, not really by choice though. I seem to have pulled something in my groin area. I am not sure when, and I first noticed it a couple of days after I got back from Seattle. It doesn't hurt too horribly, it might be a slight hernia. I am going to give it the weekend and see how it goes before seeing my doc about it though I need to go back anyway for a cholesterol check. We'll see.

I think there must be a happy medium. Keep up the running, but let the training routine go. I have found one of the hardest transitions is laying off the food. You up your caloric intake, get used to it, run the race and then have to go back to eating less. It's hard, I like food (especially carbs) too much.