Running Code 3

I’m sure it happens to everyone, can’t be just me … Or maybe it can be just me.  I mean for the last three weeks I have been struggling.  I seriously mean STRUGGLING.  I’ve felt listless, no energy, no motivation, no drive.  I even considered that I’ve had some serious illness or caught a virus, but that’s been ruled out.  I’m just so freakin’ tired.  Then it hit me …

I have been going NON-STOP for the last few months.  Even when I take a “break” it’s only for a day or two and it’s because I’m working which is it’s own crazy workout, then it’s back to the grind.  I have been hitting the gym pretty hard and regularly, then running various races when I’m not at the gym.  I haven’t stopped at all.

But over the last three weeks, I have been having a lot of difficulty getting started, I’ve been feeling so BLAH!  I’ve had to struggle to get out of bed, then again struggle and force myself to go workout.  I’ve been trying so hard to fake it until I make it, however, I can’t fake it anymore.

I’m not suffering from burnout, what I’m suffering from is over training.  As I have said, I have done no real “resting” even on my rest days.  I’m always doing something.  It’s almost as if I hate to not be doing anything on any given day, thinking that if I stop I’ll fail.  I desire to be invincible, and to just keep on doing what I’m doing.  However …

Overtraining + Lack of Sleep + Poor Nutrition + No Rest = A true recipe for nothin’ but DISASTER!!!  Yeah … three races in three weeks in October, and hitting the box consistently every week … I have finally worked my body into a state where it says, “NO MORE, Row.  Not right now.  You need to take a break and I’m gonna slow you down for a minute.”  Not only do I feel worn out, but my left shoulder has been aching, sore … okay … screaming for some real relief!  So … Let me tell you what I’ve got for this week …

Sunday:  Nothing.  I got absolutely NO data for you whatsoever.  I was scheduled to run the Down and Dirty Mud Run in Folsom, and I never signed up for it.  I let the registration date pass me by, and my husband said that I needed to rest.  So … I chilled out all day doing a whole bunch of nothing.

Monday:  Again … Not a damn thing.  I was going to go workout, but went to sleep instead after working my long 12 hour shift.  In the afternoon, I hit the Chiropractor who gave me a much needed head to toe adjustment.  Dr. Brian gave my left shoulder some TLC, adjusting it, manipulating it, then massaging it.  I got a whole body massage, then laid on the traction table for awhile.  Then … my favorite … H-wave to my L shoulder for 30 minutes.  Ahhhhh … Bliss!  I love how my kids love going to the Chiropractor also.  They get full adjustments, massages, lay on the traction table, and get H-wave if they need it.  Actually, we went to see Dr. Brian because Chris and the kids were in a hit and run MVC on Saturday and Noah was complaining of some neck and shoulder pain, and Nate was complaining of back pain.  Noah ended up with whiplash, and Nate felt better after getting adjusted.  I just happened to be a tag a long today …

Tuesday:  Hmmmm … I did nothing in the morning, but come the afternoon, I had gotten Low Census at work and I hit that box at 1500.  Thank God for LC because had I not gotten LC, I would not have gone to workout at all.  The workout went something like this:

The Warm Up:
400m Run
20 sec Leg Swing (Forward, and Side/Side)
20 PVC OH Walking Lunges

Strength:
The exercise was to find max Jerk and work 80%, 2 sets of 2, then to work the Power Snatch 3 sets of 2 at 75% … BUT … since I’m injured, my instructions were to find my one rep max deadlift and do a few sets of 2 reps. Ugh! My max today was 150 lbs.

The WorkOut:
2 minutes, AMRAP with NO rest of:
Hand stand walks, or wall walks (Since I’m lame, I got to do burpees – Yippee)
GHD Sit Ups
R arm Snatches (KB swing for me with a 26# KB)
L arm Snatches (again, KB swing was substituted d/t my shoulder)
Then Double Unders.

This was followed by a short run. Yea!

Wednesday:  Nope.  I was going to workout in the morning, then I got started late and ended up not going or doing anything at all … Nothing except sleep and rest up for my long 12 hour night shift.

Thursday:  Yeah … I was going to go.  I had every intention to do “something,” and instead, I went to sleep after working my long 12 hour shift.  Some days my bed just calls to me louder.

Friday:  Spent a lot of time planning for my trip to Fresno that’s happening on Saturday.  I’ll be running the Two Cities Half Marathon and spending the day with my oldest son and my daughter.  It’ll be a Girl’s driving trip, and a day to spend with my kiddos whom I love so much.

Saturday:  The plan is to leave for Fresno as soon as possible.  I committed, however, to go to the second annual, Fight Gone Bad, at the box where I train.  I told my trainer that I would come support and take a few pics.  It was great to watch my friends compete.  I wanted to compete, however, my trainer said no, not with my injured shoulder.  Next time, he promised me.  My friend, Becky, who is also injured, stood on the sidelines and found our motivation as we watched others participate.  It was fuel for our fire!

We left for Fresno around 11:00, and made it there without incident.  Oh … we had a last minute stowaway as Noah wanted to come with us.  We met Sam at the Two Cities Marathon Packet Pick Up and Expo at Chuckchansi Stadium!  What a great expo … Lots of vendors and demonstrations.  Jeff Galloway was there!  I got a free 20 minute massage!  I picked up some Body Glide because I forgot mine.  I got a pair of really cool arm sleeves!  And I got my ankles taped up by Chris from Rocktape!  It was an awesome way to spend part of my afternoon.  Chris also gave me some tips for taping up my shoulder that may help with the pain.  Can’t wait to try it out!

After we checked into the hotel, we, or I carb loaded at a nice restaurant called Five in North Fresno.  It was great food, and my kiddos were happy to be there!  We had a nice meal, then we hit Target to pick up a few essentials – like a pair of headphones that I forgot, a small box of cereal, and a banana.  I know … Cereal and bananas don’t belong in the same sentence as Target.  Oh well.  I got my customary morning Starbucks coffee from the nearby Starbucks and hit the hotel! It was a nice day and evening with my kiddos!

So … that’s my lame week.  Literally lame.  I’ve been babying my left shoulder and just trying to shake off whatever it is that I have.  It’s been rough going.  Slowly, I can feel my shoulder getting better.  I’ve been stretching it, getting massages, and doing some range of motion exercises.  It’s not as painful anymore, but it’s still irritated.  Maybe another week.

I’m sure that not working out is not conducive to my training at all.  I know that I do need to rest though, and maybe it’s what I need … to just lay around and do absolutely nothing.  I believe though, that if I am not doing anything, if I am sedentary, then my training will suffer.  I can’t get it thru my thick skull that rest is also an important part of training.  I know that in my head, but I can’t seem to follow the advice without feeling weirded out that I haven’t done anything!  Out of seven days, I worked out one.  ONE!  Ugh.  But … I’ll take it for what it is and just move forward, and only look ahead and not back.

Next week is another new week.  It’s a chance to start over.  So … no more worrying.  I’ve got a half mary to run on Sunday, and more chances to make up what I’ve messed up this last week.  It’s all good.  Life is good.  So … As I bid good bye and good riddance to this crazy week … I ask you all to train HARD!  Train SMART.  Have FUN!  Eat right!  AND … Get some rest if you need it.

I leave you with a great blog on The Importance of Rest During Training … I should take the advice … It speaks to me AND I know better.  Catch ya’ll on the flip side!