Best Laid Plans

Most of the time I love this blog. I enjoy writing and it is a great repository for memories and photos. Using it as my training log allows me to look back at successes and struggles over the past years without having to search through my paper logs. But on mornings like this when I have put out there that I am planning to do 20 miles and I come home with only 10 - ugh, it's like a record of failure.

I didn't sleep well at all last night, and I've probably been burning the candle at both ends a bit more than I would like to admit this week. With my parents here, I've been staying up later at night, Sam hasn't been falling asleep until 9:00 pm, and I've still been getting up at 4:00 or 4:30am to run most mornings. My legs felt heavy this morning, and the miles on the cart path were pretty slow, slow enough to make me realize I was just plain tired. Yes, it was a beautiful morning. Yes, of course I am sure I could have run another 10 miles. But I am also trying to tread the line between too much and just enough. I am trying to keep things at least partially balanced. I wanted to be here this morning when Sam wakes up. I want to be able to run and play with her on the beach today. I want to be able to make it through the rest of my training. So I stopped. Was it the right thing to do? Sometimes I think it pays to listen to that voice in your head. Sometimes it doesn't. In this case, I just don't know, but coming home felt like the obvious answer while I was out there.

This training cycle so far has had its ups and downs. I suppose all do. I still have a long way to go. I certainly feel more pressure this time around as I am training for something much bigger than I ever have before and I have no idea if I am doing it right. I haven't had as many nice 3-week builds so far, but on the other hand, I have gotten in a lot more consistent midweek mileage, I've put together some solid weeks in terms of time on my feet, and essentially have gotten in a 20 miler every other week.

I was planning on another 20 miler this week with the idea of doing slightly less mileage next week leading up to Bear Brook but now it is looking like another juggle and revision of the training plan, with the 20 on tap for next week and the "race" the following week. If all of that goes according to plan (ha!), then I am sure I will be more than happy to take a down week the week Ryan heads to VT to crew Jamie, and I will plan to more diligently follow the training plan as I get into late July and August, when I know I will really need to be stacking up the miles. I guess we will just have to wait and see how it all pans out. But in the meantime, now it is time to get ready for the beach :)