Anytime I have a day off during the week I like to rearrange my running schedule so I can run that day.  During the winter that means one less day on the treadmill and anytime I can straight home after work is a plus.    Since I have a business mixer on Thursday, I figured running Monday and Wednesday would work better anyways.   At least that was the plan. However when the alarm went off the next morning, the room was spinning.   I paused to notice the accompanying pounding headache and went back to bed.

It never fails, once a year in spring, usually on a long run, I get a little too much sun and feel like crap for the next 24 hours.  However it usually happens in late March, early April- not February.    I had a feeling I was going to regret not wearing a hat on Sunday.      So instead of running, I took my usual rest day and slept some more.  Then I spent the day doing a little bit of shopping in SLO.  I picked up some new toys-Tuesday was supposed to be the start of running outside instead of my easy treadmill run.   The sun didn’t get the memo and never came out to play.  Where was the cloud cover when I was doing my long run on Sunday?  Work ran over and by that time I had zero desire to head to the gym.   Particularly when I knew I had a tempo on plan as my other run for the week.   I’ve been trying to only look at the current week of the training plan.  That way I can con myself into following it- it doesn’t seem so intimidating that way.   🙂   If I had noticed that I had a tempo two weeks in a row, I would have chosen the hill repeats last week.

It said a 15 min warm up, 3 miles at tempo followed by a 15 min cool down.    Yeah, I didn’t have that kind of time.    I started my new medication at the beginning of February and it has been an interesting experiment so far.  One of the things I’ve figured out is that I have to eat earlier, either that or don’t go to sleep.  Or skip eating dinner but that’s not a better option.  So I shortened my run.   I had 45 minutes so -10 minute warm up, 1 mile tempo, 60 second recovery, 1 mile tempo, 60 second recovery, .5 mile tempo, cool down.    Random, right?

Holy crap, it didn’t suck!!  In fact, it kind of rocked.   I was able to hit my paces and keep my breathing under control.  Yes, I should have skipped the little recoveries but I still maintained for 2.5 miles.  That half mile was faster but I didn’t push the lap button until after I’d slowed down.   If I hadn’t been pressed for time I would have completed that last full mile and my full cool down.

Oddly enough, I noticed a few things while on the treadmill this time.  Walking I felt fine, no real achiness and I was walking in straight line.   Hitting the tempo paces felt good as well.  No aches or pains and again running in a controlled, straight line.   And when I slowed down to a 10:30-12:00 pace?  I was all over the damn place.   Things ached and twinged, and I was bouncing off the sides again.  What gives?!   I tried to focus on my form throughout the whole run and I didn’t feel like anything had changed.   I am curious to see what happens on the treadmill next week.

It was nice to leave the gym feeling like I accomplished something for once.  I was still a nasty mess but I felt like it was a good nasty.   Usually I just feel disgusting and nasty.  What is it about the gym that makes me feel so gross?   Is it Daylight Savings time yet?

When was the last time you were surprised by a run?

Does your form change when your pace changes?

It’s almost Thursday!!!!

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