Hills and Exhaustion

5.5 miles / 46:15

I was exhausted today. Yesterday and today I was in all day lectures/trainings and learning really takes a lot out of me. Yesterday I was too tired to do any sort of workout. Today, I planned ahead and convinced Running Mama to do a run with me. We were going to go to Mt. Philo and do some hills. A baby jogger going up hill she said wouldn't be an issue, it is the going downhill that would be crazy scary so we planned on going down to the waterfront and run along the lake.

However, with my all day trainings I was away from my phone and she thought I bailed on our plan so she took off without me. I sat on the couch with my sports bra on and my running skirt, half dressed trying to decide what I should do. I had no motivation to go at all even when I was planning on going with a friend, now, alone, I really had no motivation to head out what so ever.

Somehow, I mustered the strength to finish getting dressed and to head out alone. SWP went to daycare today and so he was wiped out and I knew he would hate me if I even attempted to make him run. I also didn't grab my ipod as I get really anxious outside running alone and am convinced that I will be the girl you read about in the papers that got violently attacked and the body found weeks later and they had to use the dental records to make an identification. Yes, I am morbid and that truly is what my thought process is.

Anyways, I went out for a run. I headed out on the bike path and got to a pivotal point where I could either continue on the relatively flat bike path or make a right, head out on the road and do some hills. I opted to do the hills since I knew I needed to do a hill run this week. They were pretty decent in length and steepness and they tired me out sufficiently. After I went up and down them I headed back onto the bike path to finish my run. The whole time the wind was blowing at me so I felt like I not only was getting a good hill training run in but I also had to resist the wind which was like a double workout. I am definitely very tired now and know I will sleep quite soundly!

Today's run was definitely hard. Even if I hadn't done the hills I still would have been tired. Not quite sure if I just haven't been hydrating enough or not fueling with food properly. I know the past two days I definitely have not drank as much water as I normally do with not knowing when our next break will be for me to get up to use the bathroom and also to re-fill my water bottle etc. Hopefully the rest of the week I can hydrate properly and that wont be a problem.

This run I just felt like I was dragging my feet. Like I knew I was running but for some reason my feet just felt glued to the pavement and I couldn't pick them up enough to make any progress. I blame the wind! Looking at my splits they aren't TERRIBLE, however, I still do not feel like my speed is where it was before my injury and that is really frustrating to me. Oh well. This is just the beginning of racing season and I have many more years left to get some good PRs.
*for some reason mile 3 killed me. That is the only split that is ridiculously different then my other miles. Something to keep in mind. Maybe it is a mental thing? Or, after looking at my elevation chart I was going up a hill during that mile so that COULD have been a factor.