Short and Sweet

My plan for today was to run 6 miles and then bike 20. But my body decided otherwise, once again. I had a hard time getting up and an even harder time running, even though this distance should have been easier for me. It was hot, although blissfully less humid, so the heat may have been a factor. But I've mostly just been struggling with running lately. I think some of it is mental and some of it is physical, and either way, I have to get past it. So I did the run and skipped the bike.

After missing yesterday's run, I was starting to feel the same today. Then a friend reminded me of how much he also dreaded running sometimes until he couldn't due to an injury. I remembered having a stress fracture, acute iliotibial band syndrome and most recently, plantar fasciitis, and not being able to run sometimes for months. During these times, I would have given anything to run. This was all the motivation I needed to get up and get out.

I did a very short warm-up and got right into the run. My first 1.75 miles or so were rough and felt like an extended warm-up. After that I hit a nice pace for about 3 miles or so, then started to fade away. I was incredibly thirsty and was at the mercy of the public drinking fountains so I had to wait almost 2 miles at times. But I think there was more to it. I had side stitches for the first mile and last quarter mile and battled heavy legs and fatigue on and off.

My running has certainly taken a lesser priority so I can't be surprised by the struggle. I'm hoping I will be able to get on a more normal schedule soon and get it back on track. I have a marathon to run and can't forget that.

In the meantime, I have my next triathlon on Sunday, the Niantic Bay Triathlon in Connecticut. It's a sprint race with a .5 mile swim, a 12 mile bike and a 3.5 mile run. I intend to give it every last bit of energy I have and leave nothing in the tank. It's longer than my first sprint so I've set a goal time of less than 1:30:00. It's on a beautiful coastline and near Mystic Seaport, so we've already identified our post-race activity. I'm traveling with my open water swim partner, Roberto, so it should be a good time. Now I'm off to pack up and get ready to go.

Running
Distance - 6 miles
Time - 52:14