Recovery Week

Who doesn't love a recovery week? I do! For me, these weeks are just as challenging as other weeks. You see, coach and I have figured out a great schedule or cycle for my training. Two weeks with intensity and challenging running, and then one week of recovery. By the end of the second week, I am tired, my legs are tired and I'm ready for some recovery time! However, recovery runs hurt! During my recovery weeks, I struggle, and I usually feel crappy. But it never fails that by the time the week is over, and it's time to hit it hard again, I'm all better! Perhaps some of it is mental?

I was really sore at the start of this week. I'm having some soreness in places I've never had before so I'm stretching things I've never stretched before! Tuesday was warm and muggy, and the run suffered even more because of that. It was tough out there, and every mile or so, we took a short walk break. I felt more tired in spin this week than previous weeks as well. Thursday morning I was lazy. I slept late and it was really nice. I felt super guilty about not dragging myself out of bed to run though. I was still pretty sore in a couple of places, so it was probably good I waited. I had decided to get my run in over at my parent's later that afternoon, after the lunch feast had settled, but before the second go round at dinner. Richton is very small, and I knew that running 8 miles there would be a challenge. I did it, but I took several spins around the football field so I wouldn't have to do 4 repeats of the same streets! I was very happy to finish that run. And I wasn't as sore as earlier that morning. I was super lazy on Friday, and was ready to roll for my 12 recovery long run on Saturday.

So someone moved the Longleaf Trace sign or it fell during a storm, cause it wasn't there! I was counting on it this morning in the dark and missed the road. Luckily, I recognized the road and found it on the second pass. My plan was to start at Clyde and run toward Jackson Road to meet Terri and Jenny. I wasn't feel that great, and it got worse. After about 2.5 or 3 miles, I had to stop for a minute. I was light head, dizzy and nauseated. I felt horrible. Terri said I was white as a sheet. I had felt bad a couple of times during the morning and on the first bit of that run, but I had brushed it off as run jitters and stress due to not being able to find Clyde! So after a rest, I slowed my pace and made it back to Clyde where I decided to end the run. Only 3.5 miles, but I didn't want to force a run and get out too far and be stuck. It's recovery week!

I will live to fight another day, and I will be back busting out quicker, stronger miles Tuesday! This is all part of the process.