I am not ready for the weekend to be over.  Not at all, I mean who ever is but this last week was just soooooo long.

I normally take the work day after a half marathon off but for some reason didn’t do that this time.  Silly slacker.   Monday I was definitely feeling those hills.   I would stand until my hamstrings protested then I would sit.  Getting up and down off my chair was a little challenging.  🙂   Tuesday I was a little achy but I was ready to run.  However, I read the signs that I should have another rest day.   There was an incident nearby to work- thanks St. Patricks day- so after waiting for a bit I really just didn’t like the idea of changing and leaving the building by myself so we all left together.   So rest day #2.

We had been gearing up for a big inspection at work and had thought it was Wednesday.  Turns out there was a typo and it was actually Thursday.    I felt all out of sorts for the rest of the day.  We had prepared and readied ourselves but then nope, wait one more day, ugh.  I was looking forward to running so I headed to the lake path after work to get in some miles.

Ouch, ow, I was sore.    Stinkin’ hills.  I was feeling tight and a little stiff so I called it after 3.5 miles.   I was hoping for a better showing on Thursday.    However, that was the actual inspection and even though we had prepared the best we could, I felt like I ran around like a loon for most of the day.  By the end of the day I just felt nauseous and my head hurt.   I passed on running and just headed home.  Even my training plan recommended taking an extra rest day this week.  So I did. For some reason I felt like running long on Saturday instead of Sunday this week.  The plan called for 12-14 miles but let’s be honest, that wasn’t happening.   Partly because I was tired and partly because I just didn’t want to.  I thought that would be too much after last weeks race.  I’m trying to walk a line between my slacker ways and modifying the plan.   Normally the week after a race, the highest I would go would be 6 but I really wanted to hit 10 for some reason.   I really want to get used to running a minimum of 10 miles for my long run.

I headed out in the early afternoon prepared to take it super easy.  The week had kicked my butt and it was in the high 70’s.    The hill repeats in the middle hurt but they will help in the long run right?  I really need to find a long run with fewer hill repeats.  Plus the home owners probably think I am crazy.   I was doing good up to 8.  I should have called it at 8 miles but stubbornly pushed on to 10.  Miles 9 and 10 were so slow, they probably could have been walked.  Actually they mostly were.  🙂

My normal run route from home is mostly on back roads or in older neighborhoods.  No sidewalks, lots of trees and green spaces and space between houses.  Narrow, windy roads and a couple of areas that look more like woods than town.   I usually see few cars, Saturday’s 10 miles had maybe 8 except for the 2 blocks I was on a main street.   Sometimes I hear things in the bushes while running.   Usually I see a deer or 2 (or herd) so I brush it off.     Like on Saturday, I heard something moving but didn’t see anything so I brushed it off and kept running.  This hit my Facebook later that night.

Ummm, crap?!   Think I’ll be running somewhere a little more mainstream for a while!!  Yes, I know they are around here but this was just a little too real for me.  I shared it again to my wall, and got comments reminding me that even dogs like to bite me.  Seriously a former co-workers’ husband calls me ass-bite.   So, yeah the gym is actually looking pretty good right now.  🙂

How was your weekend?

What kind of critters do you run into?

How long do you rest after a race?

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