Shades Of Normal

The past week was closer to normal for me. As far as volume goes anyway. Speed...not so much. It's a little frustrating but I guess I can't expect miracles, eh?

I was really happy that I was in good enough shape to get back to run commuting since it poured on Wednesday and Friday. I took it slow and easy and shorter than I had been doing. On Wednesday, I ran as the crow flies and did 5.5 miles before work. I felt good after so ran the long way home - 7 miles. On Friday, I ran a roundtrip of 12.5 miles again. Because, you know, I can't knowingly leave my mileage at a half for the week. It's okay if each run is .1 or .2 over but .5 just bugs me. I don't know why. It's a thing.

On Saturday, I decided not to run trails because of the rain and snow so I rode my bike over to Bonelli and ran the path along the lake's edge. We called it Puddingstone when I was growing up and I always liked that name better. It was a cold day but pretty.


This is the route for the Turkey Trot 10K I do so I like to run it a few times a year to remind my legs what it's like. Bonus for the day was watching an osprey dive bomb the water and come up with fish right in front of me.

Stats for Saturday were 13 miles on the mt bike to Bonelli, a 10 K run, then 13 home (w/a bit of a bonk and stomach cramps that I could have done without) and then another 10 miles later in the afternoon to REI. A good full day that took the mile totals for the week to 111 on the bike and 43ish running. That's getting closer to my regular weekly totals and makes me so, so happy to see. :)

However, this morning I ran 12 miles and it was miserable. :( I am so out of habit for long runs that I didn't fuel properly for it. It wasn't so bad until after mile 10 and then I was kicking myself for:
-not eating anything before
-not bringing food for just in case
-not bringing money w/me so I could stop somewhere and buy something (this is often my biggest regret!)

It was iffy for a while and I was really tempted to head home early but I got it done. My legs and feet were achy afterwards like I'd run a 22 miler or something. What is up with that? How did my legs get so mushy in such a short time? I may or may not have cursed nature while I was running. It's just not fair that it takes so much hard work to get to a point where you can run long and then BAM, you take a little time off and your muscles decide to revert to pre-running days. If we are meant to run shouldn't it be the other way around? Come on! Life is so unfair sometimes.

Sigh.

Still, I'm running. That's what matters. I'll get back to where I was soon.

And so I don't end on a depressing note...I took this on my ride this afternoon. I rode the bike path and had great views of our mountains dusted w/snow from the last two storms. I kept thinking while I was looking at them "I'm going to have to run up there one of these days". Mt Baldy is about 10,000 feet. Lower Monroe Truck Trail (the one I ran a couple of times earlier this year) is only 3400 feet so it'd be a liiiiiittle bit more. Just a little. It would be a fun challenge! Want to join me?

Yeah, I'm a nut, but it's totally doable. Right?