The Great Revolt
November 14, 2011Remember last week how I was completely on a running high?
I know we have 2 miles back and SA starts asking me if I’m going to run more once we hit the parking lot because she’s willing to run extra with me. So this is the point that I have to ponder, do I push on even though my legs hurt or do I listen to my body and let it rest? Of course, I feel like a slacker if I don’t complete my full mileage (that’s my type A personality coming out) but I’ve also learned that my body handles rest much better than it handles pushing through.
I texted Tom after my first 6 miles because he is always willing to tell me if I’m being an idiot or a wimp and he respond with this “Realize there is no going back if you take it too far. Your body is telling you something”. Geez, why does he always have to be so smart?! So I listened to my body and stopped after 13 miles. Did I want to hit that 20, of course! But I knew when we stopped and I bent down to stretch and my legs screamed I had made the right choice.
I went home, showered, grabbed my compression socks, hit the couch and literally didn’t move a muscle for 2 hours. My body was spent. Of course thinking back I haven’t been below 13 mile long runs for the last 2 months besides once. I ran hard last Saturday in the half marathon. Guess, this is why people rest after PR races. I’ve done hard runs during the week of 7-8 miles. I’ve logged a ton of miles this year and my body needs a break, hence the great revolt of my legs.
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I pretty much looked just like this cute puppy…. |
I have less than 3 weeks until the marathon and my body has logged all the long miles it’s going to get. I need my legs to rest and feel fresh when I toe the line December 3rd. Not because I’m going to set some blazing marathon time but because I can’t feel like I did today on race day. I didn’t hit exactly every long training run that my schedule said but I’ve logged more miles this year, than I have in all my years of running so I’ll have to trust that training. Who knew I’d go from an 800m runner to marathoner?! I’m sure it would give all my old coaches a laugh.