Restorative Run

Yesterday’s recovery day didn’t have the effect I was hoping it would have on my energy level and outlook. I was wiped out after four days of hard workouts – hike on Saturday, long run on Saturday at a faster pace than I should have let myself run it, run on Monday and a medium-long run with hills on Tuesday. Tuesday’s pace was off, I was feeling a bit run down and I knew I had to take a break. However, after a day of relative rest on Wednesday, I woke up this morning tired and stiff and not really looking forward to running.

I stumbled out of bed and putzed around getting ready to run but was reluctant to actually head out the door. My legs didn’t have any spring and I wasn’t looking forward to the mental game of willing them to just keep moving forward for the planned 5 miles. That’s close to an hour of trying to talk my legs out of stopping, convincing myself to keep going rather than give in to the desire to walk home and crawl back in bed. It’s a daunting way to start a run.

However, I did push myself out the door and told myself to just go. And go. And go. I just kept telling myself to run, just run. After all if the “just run” philosophy was going to work for me on my good days, it had to also work for me on my bad days. This morning my body was telling me to take it easy so I did.

I told myself not to be concerned about my time or my pace or even my mileage. I had a route to cover and I would cover it….no matter how long it took me…so I just relaxed and went along for the ride.

Of course, I finished the route – 5.14 miles later – and I was grateful to be finished with the run but then I got a pleasant surprise. I took a look at my average pace over the course of the run – 11:00 minute miles. I was expecting slower so that felt good. Even better, my mile splits got faster and faster – 11:28, 11:02, 10:57, 10:42, 10:29. I hadn’t pushed the pace, I hadn’t worried about it or told myself that as a three-time marathoner I should be better than this slogging pace, I had just run how my body told me to run and it had worked for me.

Now, I feel good today. I started this morning with a tired outlook and after the run and seeing my results, I feel empowered and optimistic and accomplished. No one handed me the run this morning, I worked for it by just relaxing and letting it happen. I love that about running. As much as an effortless run feels good, these restorative runs are why I keep coming back. I affected a change.

It’s good to put those feelings and changes – empowerment, optimism and accomplishment – out into the world.

Daily Dozen:
5.14 miles run this morning
Strength training @ lunch hour (planned)