Workouts this week Oct. 7-13

Monday: Off

Usual off day.

Tuesday: 4 easy miles

I did a quick 4 mile trail run. I didn't want to run. Made myself anyway. I wanted to listen to a new running podcast, so forced myself to run 4 miles and listen to the podcast. It went better than I thought.  I had to walk a few times. And my left ankle started feeling crunchy at the end of the run (which is new).

Wednesday: DNS

I made myself run yesterday. Today I was crying I didn't want to run so much. I'm exhausted. I felt like I was getting the flu. (Okay, I spent most of my 20s this exhausted. Had many tests done. Quitting dairy helped some, but now I'm back to my persistent state of fatigue. Went to bed at 9:30 last night.) I came home and took a nap and felt a lot better. I did 30 minutes on the exercise bike. I think running 30 mile weeks and 5 days a week is just too much for me. I'm frustrated that I have no speed, and no goal really.  (And the last week was really, really stressful.)

Thursday: Running Blahs

Another day because I cry I don't want to run. I haven't done any speed workouts this week. My quads hurt. My anxiety is in full gear. I came home thinking about quitting running. I talked myself into running two easy miles. That turned into 3 miles. And it was fine. I probably won't make my miles for the week. But I got it done. 

Friday: Nope

I had planned to run 5 miles after work. At lunch, I felt like I was having an asthma attack. I took my inhaler and thought that running while having breathing issues would be a bad idea. I did a super easy indoor cycle while watching TV on my phone. So something. 45 minutes of easy exercise with some abs and arms thrown in. 

Excited for my run. Set out my clothes
 the night before. The cat helped. 

Saturday: Fleet Feet 12

I was looking forward to this run, a rarity of late. Only, I ended up running most of it alone. I had no one to run with. I was so tired. I was running 9:30s and they felt like 8:20s from last year. My workout with 12 miles with the last 15 minutes fast. The last 2 miles of the course was up hill. So, I did the first part of the route and then made my own route. I did my last two miles in 15:59. And I was just dead for the rest of the day. Way more tired than I had anticipated. Like after rogue last year. So I am not in shape.

Saturday group run. 

Sunday: easy miles

Again, I didn't want to run but thought I could make 20 miles for the week. My quads were killing me. I ran and my legs were fine. Had to make a few bathroom stops. Got in 3 miles for 22 miles for the week.

Miles this week: 22

Times I cried because I didn't want to run: 2

Times I felt so tired I thought I should go to the doctor: The whole week

How I've felt all week. 

Summer of not running

I ran a half marathon in March and haven’t trained for anything since.

I didn’t run a 10k in May because it was the day after graduation—always a super stressful, exhausting day for me.

June and July were full of lots of personal drama (and heartbreaking rejection.) I was also sick for a few weeks at the end of May and early June.

July was the first month in a long time that I didn’t run 100 miles.

Why didn’t I run?

• Life comes first.
• A goal I was working very hard towards came first.
• Also, it was hot and humid.
• Stress.

I’m a person who makes time for exercise. I’ve never understood people who say they don’t have time for it. But for a few weeks I only had time to run maybe 3 times a week. I was super busy with my personal drama.

And then, I just didn’t have anything to train for.

I thought I might train for the mile race. But then had to go out to Utah for a very stressful visit. And now the mile race is past and I think I need to make a goal and find a plan.

I’d like to do a 10 mile race, but the PNC 10-miler might be too hilly for me. (I really hate hills, which means I should run them more.)

Or maybe a 10k? There are 2 in October that I’m eyeing. Being that it’s the end of August, I need to start training.

I’ve decided I don’t want to do a fall half.

I don’t know where my fitness is. I’ve done a handful of speed workouts since March. I need to start back. I ran 10 miles three weeks ago. I ran 8 yesterday, since that seemed like a good amount without overdoing it. Maybe I’ll try 10 again this weekend. And if I can get a speed workout in this week—I’d be making some progress.