Running has been particularly challenging the past few days because I caught a cold from Taiho. As soon as I woke up yesterday, I knew that the fifteen mile progression run I’d planned wasn’t going to happen. Instead I went out for a slow seven mile run, clutching a soggy handkerchief the whole time. Given how crappy I was feeling after that run, I begrudgingly gave myself permission to take Sunday off from running. Let your body rest, Jeanne! I told myself. It didn’t happen. I tried so hard to nap yesterday afternoon but couldn’t sleep, despite my determination. And this morning I found myself staring at the ceiling at 5 AM, after only six hours of sleep. I’m great at getting to sleep at night- typically I’m asleep within two minutes of my head hitting the pillow- and I sleep soundly. But I’m incapable of sleeping for more than six or seven hours, no matter how tired or sick I am. Don’t get me wrong, I think my need for little sleep is a huge asset. With the exception of the first month of Taiho’s life, I haven’t experienced the overwhelming fatigue that commonly afflicts parents of young children. And in my lawyering days my early wake up enabled me (when nothing too crazy was going on with my cases) to watch a lot of movies before work. That was cool. At times like this however, I wish my body were amenable to more rest.
There I was, awake at 5 AM this morning. I felt crummy but I knew I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep. I decided to go for a run. What the hell, I’d do a long run. It wouldn’t be the progression run I’d planned; I knew that I didn’t have it in me to run hard and fast. But I’d get the miles in. Julia was going to be running twenty miles this morning (her last long run before tapering for her first marathon!) so I texted her and asked her if she wanted company for part of her run. She told me she did.
An hour or so later, I met Julia in the park. Once again I ran with a handkerchief. I didn’t feel great but I had more energy than I’d expected. I decided to run the last mile as fast as I could and finished mile fifteen in 7:59.
Today’s run concluded week six of my training for the Fargo Marathon.
- Monday: 3.6 jogging stroller run in the AM; 3.4 mile recovery run in the PM
- Tuesday: 6 mile jogging stroller run
- Wednesday: 10 mile tempo run consisting of a 3 mile warmup, 3.5 miles at an 8:00 pace, 1.3 miles at a 7:53 pace, .2 miles at a 7:47 pace and a 2 mile cool down
- Thursday: 12 mile medium long run
- Friday: off
- Saturday: 7 miles
- Sunday: 15 miles
Total: 57 miles
I need a clean handkerchief now.
