Things have been a tad extra busy lately, with a trip to PA last weekend (major surgery for a parent), additional after school and weekend kid activities, lots of family birthdays (all of ours in a six-week span), and taking steps to solve my running-related medical conundrum. It's all been compounded by poor sleep. Saturday morning I did something I don't do very often...feeling a bit sniffly and draggy, I climbed back in bed until almost noon.
I had a 40 mile bike ride on the schedule. It was going to reach the 50's and the sun was shining. But I did not want to go. Not. At. All. I had all kinds of "legitimate" reasons to skip it. I debated and I procrastinated. I knew the way my head was that I HAD to go. I gave myself an out and told myself if I felt awful, I'd just turn around.
So off I went...and those first five miles were the looonnnnggggeeessssttttt five bike miles EVER. I began to wonder if the Garmin was malfunctioning. Or if my tires were flat. Or if I had African Sleeping Sickness.
A few miles later, I felt the mental cloud start to give way, the brain untangling, priorities resorting. Part of it was from the physical effort, and part was from my podcast playlist. (I can still hear cars and I wear a mirror). Stories from The Moth, This American Life, and Competitor Radio are great for providing perspective.
Slowly, I found my groove. By the turnaround point, I was approaching normal.
After 44 miles, I felt great! What a difference. Exercise really is such powerful "medicine." It works quickly and without deleterious side effects (most of the time).
The days I least want to train are usually the days I MOST need it. Somehow that is hard to remember or believe until after I have finished. That made me think about this proverb:
Yes, the obstacle IS the path. I'm glad I pushed through this one.
