You are strong inside...now tell your body to follow!!

There are days when your body just don't want to run. You know you have to do it, you push it, your mind says yes but the body doesn't want to obey.  The good news is that there is always revenge!!

Last weekend my body said "NO"  but I pushed it anyway, I did not listen and I kept running in what was one of  the most horrendous runs I have ever had. Not sure why but my legs didn't want to move, they were heavy and I left as carrying two huge rocks!! It was a long and slow torture.

As usually I ran with my friends and thanks to them I was able to keep up running. In general I am in the front of the group and I can easily keep up with them but last Saturday I was just not doing well. I was so slow that they needed to wait for me a couple of time. I did the last 4 miles alone and I really used all my mental energy to get me through it.....I was literally  "out of gas".

Sunday wasn't much different and  finishing 10 miles by myself was again another little torture!!

I can't explain what happened, I can't find any specific reason for not having energy. Yes, I have been working a lot but that is not new.   I think that the body sometimes just don't want to keep up with your mind!! and in that moment is when you need to be stronger than ever. I could have stopped after a few miles but I knew I could regret it later. I felt  as I did  during the last 10 miles of the ultra...tired...very tired...but kept telling myself that I needed to learn how to keep running when I feel that I am dying and that I needed to get those miles done!!

I have been working a lot...and I mean...a lot..so I was a little afraid this was  the reason for the poor performance but surprisingly the following week was really good.   I went running in the morning before heading work as it has been complicated to do it during lunch time or afterwork. I am working an average of 65 hours per week plus I am going to the office on Saturday too.  This makes  difficult to find the time to run, not only for the hours but also because when I have a free minute I  have thousands of errands to do and  a life and friends to catch up with.

This weekend I had a fantastic long run...18 miles in Central Park. I felt strong, with energy all the time and I was able to keep a good pace too. I met my friends at 7:30AM but I head the part earlier to get a loop done before meeting them for the next 2 loops.

Today I did my recovery run alone......did I  just say recovery run??  I am scared about how a 9 miles run is a recovery run !!  I felt good but my quads were a little sore in the down hills, I think I did too many hills on Saturday!! but this is good....Hills are your friends!!!

To give my body a chance to "recover"  I ran almost 1 minute slower than my long run.

It should be good to start with some ice bath  now that the long runs will be increasing but it is still too cold for that!!!!! not sure I can handle them yet. Instead I took a hot bubble bath with some muscle relaxing salts....they are supposed to help with any type of soreness...we shall see tomorrow morning how my legs feel!!

I think the most important lesson I have learned in the last 2 weeks is that sometimes  you can't control how your body will feel, you can eat well, sleep and rest  but you never know what "Mr.  Body" will do in the  morning and that is why  you MUST  train your mind to go through that downside and  keep running.....because as it is said  " MIND OVER BODY".

Be strong...keep running!!!

Last two long runs: 16 and 18 miles
Next two long runs: 18 and 20 miles