‎“What I am looking for is not out there, it is in me.”

- Helen Keller

Wow. I may have had my roughest day to date yesterday in training. I got home defeated, exhausted, a little sick to my stomach and discouraged. I think my jammed packed weekend showed up in my lack of energy for Tuesday’s practice. I know that I need to get 7-8 hours of sleep at night, and with 2 back to back mornings of waking up at 5am followed by 17-20 hour long days, does not bode well for my body. 

We had tempo repeat runs. 3 times around the Reservoir in Central Park with a 5 minute break between. With every loop aiming to be around the same time. I did the first one and realized that my body wasn’t exactly having it. I clocked in at a very quick time. Then I headed out for my second loop and had a hard time managing my breathing, my legs felt as if they were moving through sludge, and my stomach wasn’t exactly settled. When I finished my second loop my coach said I wasn’t look so hot and recommended sitting out the third. If it is one thing I have learned about my body, is that it knows that I will push it so it takes extreme measures if it needs a break. And last night it told me it had had enough. 

So I called it an evening, did a short cool down jog, and headed home. I chalked it up to lack of rest. I know that when I don’t get enough sleep, my stomach becomes my worst enemy. I am also having a tough time managing my food intake during Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have an hour long lunch break at 1:30 but then until I head to practice, I only have a few sporadic 5 minute breaks. I can’t eat too close to training but I also can’t go on an empty stomach. And dinner doesn’t come until 9pm most days. I am still trying to find that mythical balance.

But I am not going to hold onto the disappointment too long. I realize that I am halfway through my official training and there is always a wall that comes around this time. The novelty of training has worn off but we are still a little too far from getting excited about the race. And on top of all that, my brain and body are working overtime with rehearsals. Sometimes the only thing I can do it chalk it up to a bad day, hop in the shower, get some sleep and start the next day fresh and new. 

On that note, I am going to finish up my coffee and back my bags for the day. I have a scheduled bedtime of 9:30pm tonight and I have a lot to fit in in the meantime.

Such as apartment hunting. Wish me luck!

How do you deal with bad days?

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