(G): Last week, I told you there wasn’t any time to waste. I needed to get back into training and fast because our next event is coming up quickly.
I jumped back in head first and it didn’t disappoint. It was tough. I didn’t take it easy on myself. There were several tantrums staged by me — maybe only in my head but there were tantrums.
Tuesday started the full-force return with a hard 4-miler and core work. When I woke up Wednesday morning I could feel it. Feeling sore and tired really made the “fast” running I had on my schedule even more special. Speed work, for me, always equals misery but after a layoff like the week before it hurt. Every half-mile interval was brutal and I needed a little pep talk to get through and start each one. I’ve told you I talk out loud to myself before. This week was no different.
By Thursday, the fatigue of the two previous workouts was starting to accumulate but I have a 12-hour race coming up. Fatigue will accumulate there, too. I completed my 8 miles of hills and my hamstrings had accumulated a few swear words along with fatigue by the end.
On Friday I was feeling rather spent. Thankfully, it was a rest day from running and since I had some pretty high mileage planned for Saturday I opted to skip the weight training so I’d be fresh.
I had 20 miles on the agenda for Saturday and when I woke up I discovered the weather was sticky. Rumor has it Fall is on the way but Saturday was not showing any signs of giving up on summer.
So I cheated. Mentally, I am done with the heat and humidity and it was more than I was willing to tangle with because the mileage was daunting on its own.
I opted to run on the treadmill. At first, I am not sure it was much of a trade off because my husband, who was watching football and not moving, thought the humidity was fine so he turned off the A/C and the house was equally humid as outside.
At mile 13, it was 80 degrees in the house and I finally asked him to turn on the air on. I am not sure it changed much for me at that point because by the time I was done I’d been through two shirts, two pairs of shorts and more than a few attitude adjustments. But I did make it.
Sunday brought with it tremendous relief. I only had six miles planned and it was a beautifully cool day. It wasn’t all sunshine and light because after 20 miles I was tired before I got started. There is, however, something mentally easier about knowing you’ll be done in six miles instead of 20. The cool air and grass underfoot felt good to my sore muscles, although the couch I was lounging on later felt even better.
After some good sleep, I woke up yesterday feeling refreshed and was able to hit the weights with gusto. We are 18 days away from the MOX 12-Hour. Head first into adventure.
