I stopped running for three weeks, right after I set my best time on a 5k. I didn't run for little and big unplanned reasons. Now, yesterday I attempted to run 3.4miles (twice around a 1.7 miles pond) and I had to walk the second round. I am so sad! I worked so hard to achieve running a 5k distance and worked even harder to improve my time (which I know it is still slow, but I started at 44' and went down to 34'29'').
I signed up for a 5k run this Saturday, but I didn't know I was going to be in such a bad in shape. Oh, well. I will attempt to run both rounds of the pond today and rest tomorrow Friday and see what happens. I will try not to stop running for such a long time again.

Awww, you will get back there. It takes a shorter time to get back when you've already been there than it did originally. (Even though it doesn't feel like it). Your body knows you're not really starting over and it will "remember". I've had to start running again a couple of times (over the course of a few years), and it's always faster to get back. Not, well, lightning fast , but faster.

I second what Tea said. You will recover your stamina rather quickly. And if you have to slow down just a touch to rebuild, well, the speed will return quickly too! Good idea to sign up for the 5K this weekend!

I have the same tendency -- to stop running after race. I did a half marathon on the 12th and have definitely cut back since then. I've done other stuff -- yoga, spinning, kickboxing -- but I know I need to get out there and run a little more...

And a big hardy third to both of these posts. We all go through periods of downtime for whatever reason. In 3 or so runs your body will be right back to where it was!