Back to the drawing board

Have you ever taken an extended break from running, then when you start back up, you feel like a total novice?  I have finally started to get back into a running groove, but it has felt like I am running for the first time.  I don't have a training plan in place.  I do have several race possibilities circled on the calendar, but none for sure.  In the meantime, I have decided to try daily running again.  I have run every day for 2 solid weeks now, and am still slow and fat, but getting a little less slow.  Now I need to work on getting a little less fat.  Hopefully soon I'll start feeling less like a novice runner.