Maybe.
To say I was workout bipolar on Saturday would be an understatement. My return to running post-stress fracture has had me on a schedule of three days at a given mileage with a 1/4-1/2 mile increase after those three days, and a day off from running in between.
So far so good, I have stuck to the schedule. Saturday was supposed to be my day off from running between increasing from 4.5 miles to 5 miles. It lined up perfectly with my favorite spin class so everything looked just peachy.
That was until, I pulled into the gym parking lot, called my mom, and sais, “I really just don’t feel like working THAT hard. I would much rather run an easy 5 miles.” Being my mom she was not a fan of me skipping an off day but that’s beside the point.
Should I have sucked it up, gone to spin, and ridden the high the rest of the day?
Yes.
Did I?
No.
Do I regret that decision?
No.
Instead, I decided I would go ahead and run after doing a killer set of arms, abs, and 20 minutes on my beloved stair master. While on the stair master, fate had it that I was reading the January issue (yes I am way behind) of Runner’s World. They were discussing the importance of off days whether your body says it is tired or not like they do every month (I still read and love it every month.)
Guess what? I listened! No, not “to my body," to people smarter than me. My workout for the day ended up being arms, core, two 20 minute sets on the stair master, and 10 minutes on the elliptical. As random as it was it has been a very long time since I sweated that much and I had a blast following whatever whim swept me over at any given moment!
Happy to be Alive
Sunday’s breakfast: omelet with spinach, mushrooms, green bell pepper, and Salsa Verde, toast with jelly, pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg, and a pear.
It was one of those days you are just happy to be alive. The sun was shinning, walks were taken, froyo was eaten , it was lovely.
I actually bought Vitamin D pills at Costco Saturday because it has been THAT long since my skin has seen the sun! Sunday treated us to 75 degrees of blissful sun and it was amazing! (Yes. I was reading a Bread recipe book, see this post for more.)
This morning I hit my “magic” number at five miles.
I am not sure what “magic” means, but something about being back to five miles makes me feel like there is some sort of legitimacy to my recovery. I will not run proclaiming to the hills that I am back, but I am getting there!
Tonight I am off to try Piloxing for the first time. A friend talked it up to me and I am ridiculously excited for something that sounds like it might kill me. Wish me luck!
Have you ever tried Piloxing?
Do you ever have super random workouts?
that’s great you are back to 5 miles! An important milestone! Now that I’m injured (ugh), I’ve been doing some pretty random workouts too. Sometimes a combo of elliptical and spinning, yoga, whatever I feel won’t be boring
I read your post this morning and was so happy for you NOT running , lordly knows I know how hard that can be!
I love froyo! Also, I think as long as you listen to your body (physically) then it’s okay to workout on a day off. I’ll sometimes go a few weeks without an official day off but then get tired and need 2 in a row! All about balance, right?
Right on!
I do “Freestyle Fridays” and Weekends I am random; Weights, Jump Rope, Run or Bodyweight Exercises. Even a weird mixture of them all. Depends on my playlist jamming at the time. But Yoga is a priority always!
That’s a great idea! A theme might help me stick to cross-training!