The Broad Running Broad

One of the truths of being a runner is that when your body needs to rest, your mind will be the last one to accept reality, even if it is in fact the best choice.

The other day I was scrolling through Instagram and saw the Distracted Boyfriend meme on a running page. I had to chuckle. The boyfriend was looking over at the woman in red, who had “sign up for a half marathon” labeled above her, while his girlfriend was labeled “de-loading” and looking on in disgust. The timing of it was nearly perfect.

Right after the 10k I had this idea I was going to go all in with running and lifting. I’d add bicycling back into the mix on Tuesday and Thursday evenings before lower body night. I’d get back into yoga and planks. I’d even eat fruits and vegetables again, because I’m getting a little burnt out on pasta and vegetables are generally good for me.

Then on Monday I slept in and wound up staying in. All I wanted to do was sleep, which is a little unusual for a 10k. Half or a full marathon, okay that’s normal. But a 10k not at all. So I figured I could wait until Tuesday morning to go run.

Tuesday morning came. I could tell a run wasn’t going to be happening when I woke up, so I decided an hour on the elliptical was a good idea.

Knights and dames, I did it, but it turned out to be a terrible idea. My calves were killing me and rather than feeling energized to take on the day, rather than basking in endorphins, I just felt like death warmed over. At one point in my running life I would have been one of those self-shaming jerks berating myself for not pushing through the fatigue. But I’m older (maybe wiser?) and frankly, when I’m tired, there’s no way in hell I’m going to be doing anything remotely impressive or inspiring. For this week, work and getting to the grocery store on Wednesday night was going to be the most vigorous thing I’d get done.

So this week became a week of rest, no physical activity beyond the elliptical on Tuesday morning. I’ve become one with the couch, which Marina has loved because it means her mom can pay attention to her and give lots of cuddles. I’ve gotten eight-plus hours of sleep, and I’ve consistently done my skincare routine, which had been inconsistent since getting home from Cleveland. I’m not proud to admit this, but I even cleaned up my toenails. They were getting a little long and I was focused on everything else that I didn’t even notice they needed a trim until my new shoes felt tight. I wasn’t quite to the level of feeling like Billy Bloomberg, the bus boy on Dexter’s Laboratory, but if I let it go any longer, I might have had two mini rakes on me.

Egotistically I’d love to think I can bounce back, or never even experience anything that would necessitate a bounce back in the first place. But reality is I’m not Wonder Woman in any area of my life. I got tired – and in hindsight I’ve been tired with the travel races, job searching and starting a new job within a month. And when humans get tired, they have to rest up. The gym isn’t going anywhere. Neither are the trails. So next Monday I’ll start again, and for this week and upcoming weekend, I’m going to honor my resting time. And get a facial tomorrow morning, which will likely be followed by an adventure to go get a cookie from Lion Cub’s Cookies.

This is a short one, and I hope you all have a great, restful weekend ahead.

Yours in life and running,

Allison