I will admit this - The last two months of training have been going really well. I actually felt like I was going places and was looking forward to the start of the racing season. However, the "normal" happened - I got into a mental and emotional rut over the last couple of weeks where I really wanted to get out there and move but couldn't bring myself to do so...
Last weekend was the worst. I woke up on Saturday feeling physically tired and weak. I promised myself that I would get out there but it never really happened. Sunday, I drove to the gym but I couldn't bring myself to go in and enjoy, even though the rain stopped and the sun was shining. I attempted to go to the conservation area to walk a couple loops in the park but that didn't pan out either.
So what did I do instead? I drove a new hilly running route that Lorene had recommended to me on one of the country roads in Caledon. When I plotted it on GMaps, I was amazed that the elevation difference from the start to the top of the escarpment is close to 600ft. Excellent hill work! I am looking forward to running this route as there are various distance options depending on which road you go. This makes a nice summer evening workout for going short (before daylight falls) and a great long option for the weekend. There is also an option to hop on the Bruce Trail or the Caledon Trailway as well. More details to follow...
Last night, Lorene was on for the weekly pool run. I got my gear together and headed for the gym. While I was on my way there, I got a call from Lorene indicating that she was going to bail due to exhaustion. I could have turned around and went home but I made the resolve to go no matter what. In fact, I took advantage of the fact that I could get there early and start early knowing that I had no one to wait for. I hit the pool as soon as I got there and managed to run for close to an hour and a half. I was grateful the workout in the end. It gave me a chance to put things into perspective where my training is concerned. I will be re-evaluating where I am in the coming weeks.
Tonight, I plan to pick up on the training once again. i intend to take it easy until I am back in the swing of things because I do not want to overdo it and fall back into the rut. Now that the days have gotten longer, I can now leave work and arrive with plenty of daylight to spare. This will give me a chance to get a short trail run or a track workout in before heading to the gym to lift weights for an hour.
Lesson learned from the past couple of weeks - REST is the key. I am beginning to suspect that as much as I make an effort to rest, I need to rest more frequently. It was quite clear this past weekend that I needed to take care of my body and rest. Now that I am climbing out of the rut, I will stop trying so hard to do my best and just do it. The fun is taken out of the equation when you force yourself and try too hard. As heard from Kinndli - "Don't think, just do..."
Looking forward to more fun now!
Last weekend was the worst. I woke up on Saturday feeling physically tired and weak. I promised myself that I would get out there but it never really happened. Sunday, I drove to the gym but I couldn't bring myself to go in and enjoy, even though the rain stopped and the sun was shining. I attempted to go to the conservation area to walk a couple loops in the park but that didn't pan out either.
So what did I do instead? I drove a new hilly running route that Lorene had recommended to me on one of the country roads in Caledon. When I plotted it on GMaps, I was amazed that the elevation difference from the start to the top of the escarpment is close to 600ft. Excellent hill work! I am looking forward to running this route as there are various distance options depending on which road you go. This makes a nice summer evening workout for going short (before daylight falls) and a great long option for the weekend. There is also an option to hop on the Bruce Trail or the Caledon Trailway as well. More details to follow...
Last night, Lorene was on for the weekly pool run. I got my gear together and headed for the gym. While I was on my way there, I got a call from Lorene indicating that she was going to bail due to exhaustion. I could have turned around and went home but I made the resolve to go no matter what. In fact, I took advantage of the fact that I could get there early and start early knowing that I had no one to wait for. I hit the pool as soon as I got there and managed to run for close to an hour and a half. I was grateful the workout in the end. It gave me a chance to put things into perspective where my training is concerned. I will be re-evaluating where I am in the coming weeks.
Tonight, I plan to pick up on the training once again. i intend to take it easy until I am back in the swing of things because I do not want to overdo it and fall back into the rut. Now that the days have gotten longer, I can now leave work and arrive with plenty of daylight to spare. This will give me a chance to get a short trail run or a track workout in before heading to the gym to lift weights for an hour.
Lesson learned from the past couple of weeks - REST is the key. I am beginning to suspect that as much as I make an effort to rest, I need to rest more frequently. It was quite clear this past weekend that I needed to take care of my body and rest. Now that I am climbing out of the rut, I will stop trying so hard to do my best and just do it. The fun is taken out of the equation when you force yourself and try too hard. As heard from Kinndli - "Don't think, just do..."
Looking forward to more fun now!
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