A Bad Day

Hi. It’s Laura.

All I can say about today is ugh, Tuesday.

Waking up tired and sore is generally not the best start to the day. Fortunately for the first hour of my Tuesday, I am not the one who has to do the work. It’s the dog!

So another rainy day, I don my rain hat (yes a rain hat; have you ever walked a high energy 55lbs puppy and try to carry an umbrella) rain coat and my Wellies and head out the door to the park (in this family everyone runs in the park). The dog is reluctant at first and I can't say I blame him, not a huge fan of the rain when I have 9 mile run in front of me.

The nice thing about the rain is that the park is quiet. Only some die hard runners, usually a cyclist or two and other high energy dogs that have to go out and don't mind the rain are around.

All through our one hour walk I was trying to convince myself that I can run in the rain today.

My thoughts: “What if rains on race day, am I not going to go?”; “I should practice running in the rain.”; “I'm tired. I don't want to run at all today.”; “Maybe I will go home and eat breakfast then run.”; “Maybe the rain will die down” and on and on I go.

Walking around the park, I keep thinking I have no idea how I am going to get a 9 mile run done today, I 'm exhausted. All my fault too, I found American Ninja Warrior on TV last night and I could not resist watching, so stayed up too late (yeah yeah I know 11 is not that late).

I conclude that I will go home and have breakfast then head out (or not). I'm ready to go and it is pouring outside. “NO NO NO not the treadmill again!”

Yes, it’s the treadmill again. I can think of at least 100 things that I would rather do than run 9 miles on the treadmill. For example: getting my teeth cleaned, have ingrown toe nails removed, getting punched in the face, leg or basically any other body part. I think you might get the point.

To make things a little more clear for you, I am following two different training plans simultaneously. I have one for the Tri and one for the 10K I am running on June 9.

The running plan calls for the 9 miler and the tri plan calls for 60 minutes.

I set up my treadmill: TV on with closed caption of the Today Show, water in the pocket with the towel so it doesn't make too much noise and bother me, tissues in the other bottle holder because my nose always runs when I run and my iPhone resting on the console so I can take my turn at Words with Friends (still not happy about the treadmill). I think I’m good. wait, gotta pee.

Back on the treadmill, I start my run. I am listening to music and watching "the Professionals" debate on the Today Show. Nice! a whole half mile in, uh oh. gotta pee again. This can't be, I just went. I let myself go at the mile mark and by the time I get back my machine has shut off. I get it started again.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. I about a mile and half in (technically 2.5 miles) and I have to go again. This time I leave the treadmill on. I get back and only .15 miles have passed, not bad.

At mile 2.5 (technically 3.5) I am thinking about how long this is taking and how not into I am today. Maybe I don't have to do 9, maybe I could just do 6? Could I handle the guilt later on?

I rationalize that the Tri plan only asked for 60 minutes and the 9 is for a race that I is not my primary goal. I compromise. Since the machine finishes at the hour mark, I will keep going until it shuts off. This I can live with.

After all is said and done, 7.5 miles ran and well over the 60 minutes on the treadmill. You know if I don't finish the Tri I will blame this day. Half way through the morning and I am living with the guilt just fine. I am still very tired and pretty sore from yesterday.

Just one more swim, two long rides, another long run from the end of the week, I cannot wait for Sunday or maybe just a good night's sleep tonight.

Play hard!

Laura