Rest Day

This morning I woke up and felt the push to move even though it’s my running rest day. Not to meet any deadlines or tackle another running goal or anything, but just because my body wanted to be active. I didn’t really feel like biking and I don’t have a pool membership so I did what I’ve come to know lately- run. I figured perhaps I am at the point in my fitness regimen where I don’t have to take a rest day from running every other day anymore. After all, Jon runs 3 days in a row before he takes a rest day.

So I ran. My first mile was moderately easy- I really enjoyed the run and my heart rate was in a good place. Since I ran a mile I thought why not take the 3 min walk break and then try to run another. Then I could actually cross W6d2 off my list a day early. My mind was all “yes!” but my body (especially my right knee) was like “um, no thank you, not today”. When I realized it wasn’t going to happen (another mile I mean) I finished up with a 45 second all out sprint (6 min pace woo) then walked the rest of the way home.

By the time I got home I was really angry with myself but then I realized that’s all kinds of crazy and I need to stop that kind of reaction. I need to not be so hard on myself. It’s a freaking rest day! The fact that I went out and ran at all is good, even if I did only a mile. And what's with this “only” business anyway...a couple weeks ago I couldn’t even run a mile and now its not good enough on a rest day? See what I mean? Sometimes I don’t need my overly critical father in the room with me telling me how I’m not good enough because I seem to take the job on myself at times.

So instead I’m going to deliberately cultivate good feelings about the fact that I like being active. I am waking up with an urge to be active- that’s amazing and also very healthy. I listened to my body and responded: I went for a run. I ran further on a rest day then I used to be able to run on a run day. That’s fantastic! I.AM. FANTASTIC.

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