Oh Yeah, Now I Remember What Normal Feels Like

Today, for the first time in at least two weeks, I felt good. No, I haven't been sick. I just haven't been myself. I've been tired everyday and can't seem to get past it. I have no energy and just can't wait to go to bed each night. My running has been uninspired to say the least and my racing has been worse. A week ago yesterday I went out for a hard tempo and struggled to hold a 6:30 pace for a few miles. So, thinking I might need a break, I took it easy last week and went into the Law Week 8K with about 9.5 miles under my belt for the entire week. But I couldn't stay on pace in the race and performed terribly. My pace for 8K was slower than it was for the 1/2 marathon just two months ago.

So I saw the doc this morning to have blood work done and check for that old anemia nemesis, or thyroid issues. My pulse at the doctor registered 80! Geez, I'm a runner - it should be around 50.

But on the bright side, I felt great today. I felt like I used to most days - full of energy and actually wanting to come home and hammer out a hard run. I hit the weights too, when I first got home. Then tonight I went out for what I hoped would be a solid training run at long last. And that's what I got.

I did a 14 mile progression hard-tempo run. Average pace was 6:45 but my final mile was around 6:34 and the final four miles were around a 6:40 average. It felt great and even when I went just a little too fast I was able to ease off the accelerator and get right back in a groove, something I found impossible to do on Saturday at the race.

I'm signed up for the Bellaire Trolley Run on Saturday but am not sure whether I'm going to do it. If I feel great on Friday like I did today I may do one more long-run, at an easy pace. And if I'm not feeling good I don't know why I'd want to go out and lay an egg again.