Until Tomorrow

On the eve of my 27th birthday, I am feeling spent. It has been a long and exhausting week, and I am more then ready for a vacation. Our NYC trip has caused me to rearrange my workouts this week to ensure that I get my most important runs in while I'm still here in Chicago. So yesterday I ventured out on my 15 miler that was supposed to be a progressive run for me. It wasn't. I spent the first 4 miles working out the tightness in my legs, then when I turned into the wind with 5 miles to go, I felt like I was moving in slow-motion. Around mile 12 my plantar fasciitis made a short appearance, and my goal changed from powering through each mile at a higher intensity then the last to just maintaining and getting home in one piece.

It can be heartbreaking when the workout you are most looking forward to for the week doesn't go as planned. But I thank my body for making it through, and I know that it is impossible to feel at 100% every workout. Today I originally planned to do a tempo run. Stupid, yes but I did not want to have to worry about it in NYC nor did I really want to start my birthday before 5 a.m. with speed work. After listening to my body at the gym, I knew there was no way I would have a successful tempo today. Instead I cross trained today on the elliptical and will be heading out bright and early to start off my 27th birthday with the need for speed.




I could have tried to muster through a tempo today, but it would have been useless. Mentally I was saying "go, go, go" but physically my body was saying "pump the brakes lady". In the past 5 days I have done two 15 milers and ran a total of 50 miles, and do not have a day off until Sunday. Logically a day of cross training was needed to stay healthy for my upcoming spring races, which is EXTREMELY important to me. I want to be content and happy with my runs, that will not happen if I burn myself out by getting over zealous early in the game. I still have 5 weeks until my 8k, 10 weeks until my half, and 12 weeks until my 10 miler. Plenty of time to be fiercely aggressive in my workouts.

This morning I had a minor fashion meltdown while packing for my trip. Every time I go away I can never decide what I want to wear days in advance, it's too much of a commitment that I am overwhelmed with making right now. So I'm taking my entire closet and all of my accessories. No compromises.

A birthday wouldn't be complete without sweets, and I look forward to indulging in my share tomorrow...and maybe for a few days after.