Live to Run Another Day

Some runs are worth fighting for.

Some runs are hard because my legs are tired and every step is effort of will but I know that pushing through is worth it because I need to conquer that little voice that tells me I should to just give up because it is too hard.

Some runs are just not meant to be. Today I had one of these runs.

My left quadriceps has been giving me a little trouble for the past week. It feels like a muscle strain and after a few miles of running it is sufficiently warmed up and I don't have an pain. This morning, however, it just didn't feel right and was taking too long to warm up.

I also haven't been getting the number of hours of sleep that I should for the past two or three nights. Its not that I have been sleeping poorly just that I have been staying for one reason or another and getting an hour less sleep than normal. As a result, my heart rate jumped up this morning during the first hill and stayed up. An elevated heart rate is an indication that my body hasn't been able to fully recovery and I need to listen up.

On top of these things, every step seemed to be a tremendous effort. It felt like I was running through quicksand toward the end.

This wasn't the run to show my courage and push through to the finish. I listened to my body - quad, heart and legs - and it was telling me to take a break. I need to live to run another day, not crash and burn on a training run.

And so I stopped. Without regret or guilt, I let myself cut short a run that I could have completed. It just wasn't worth tempting injury. It was a smart move and the right call, I'm proud of myself for listening to my body.

I am sacrificing the remaining 5.5 miles to the running gods in the knowledge that they have blessed me with some effortless runs, helped push me through some tough runs and will provide a great day for the upcoming marathon.

Today's Daily Dozen:
3.5 mile morning run