Epic Fail

Really?  How many times is that justifiably allowed to be a post title?  The thing I hate about epic fails is setting out to do something and not completing it...the point when you realize you have to ask yourself mid-run, and wonder (yes, right there in the middle of the road)

What is happening? What's going on here? 

 

Through these years of running, I have learned that some of those mid-run stops need to continue , because its your mind playing Battleship with you...and then sometimes you have to realize that you made shitty choices and the best thing is to go home.  I've been schooled by my body more than once and lets not get into that crazy mind of mine.....

 

When training for a marathon it becomes pretty apparent that your long runs especially past mile 13 start the day before your actual run...maybe even sooner actually.  You need your rest, you have to fuel correctly, you need to have the correct amount of allotted time that kids are accounted with ample time to fuel afterwards so you can recover.  I'm usually very good at this and if last weekends long runs wasn't one of my best runs...I would have probably would have cried out on that road today because when you mess up a long run and all the training guides are telling you..."your long run is the staple of your marathon-train like its race day..." yada, yada...you get the gist of it

 

Let me make this quick: 

*Yesterday I had a class from 9-2 came home and felt like I was thoroughly depleted in something... I raided the fridge and ate what my body wanted.  After that I fell asleep for 2 hours.  Now mind you I have two kids so it was a

"lets make believe mommy is the baby and you guys put me to sleep..."

and then when that one dies out

" lets make believe that you guys are the doctors and mommy's in the hospital lol"

....okay don't call CPS yet...what I'm trying to get across to you is it was one of those mommy naps...the ones where you wish to god you really could totally pass out, mouth open, waking up feeling refreshed.  Yeah, that wasn't what it was. 

 

*My husband gets home and as soon as he does I really pass out and go to sleep until he continues to tap me in a very annoying manner...  Who taps a sleeping mom?  No one should....no one.  

 

*I eat dinner and realize my  6 miler is not getting done.

 

*Go upstairs realize my "Aunt" that visits every month (kind of like a tapping husband) has paid me a visit ...ahhh okay the eating of the fridge and passing out from exhaustion. 

 

*I still await the final decision of are we going away or not because I need to know when to schedule my long run (my mistake number 1)

 

*Decide last minute to just do it the morning. 

 

*I would have to wake at 5 (which I didn't) 5:30 and then run a decent pace (which I couldn't --my darn AUNT!) 

 

* I started the run and at mile five realized I needed to make a decision.  Do I make this the six and do the long run the right way?  Or do I do mind over matter and push through and hope I make it in time?    I learned from a good trainer that "hope is not a strategy" and decided that it means to much to me to not allow myself to make the mistake. I swallowed my pride and headed home with a six miler and a lesson. 

 

***You can't rush these things.  Whether you are just starting out or if you are training for a marathon or more. 

 

***You need to listen to your body.  I'm getting better at this...not 100% yet.

 

***Appreciate the long run.  It can be such a beautiful time and peaceful and energizing...Fitting it in just doesn't match up.

 

***Getting down on yourself just takes up time that you could be using to figuring out how you are going to make it work...don't waste your time.  Its too valuable.

 

 

Do you listen to the warning signs or do you find yourself making the choice on the road? 

Do you hate when your Aunt comes to visit? Are your runs easier or harder during that time?

What helps you get over an epic fail?