The message I can’t get out of my head this morning is “Running Makes Everything Better”.
I woke up this morning and was feeling blah. I think I had the post-vacation blues, plus it was the Tuesday after a long weekend. I was feeling not-quite myself- probably from 5 days overindulging in drinks and barely touching a vegetable. I had also slacked on staying properly hydrated.
I wasn’t even tired enough to sleep in. Well, actually I felt tired but my body woke up naturally at 5am and I couldn’t go back to sleep. I was feeling overwhelmed by knowing how much I had to do in 4 days before I go out of town again. I was frustrated with myself for the negative thoughts. So I just ran.
I didn’t have a plan, but I knew I needed to be back in 50 minutes to start getting ready for work.
Mile 1, I was dragging. I just wasn’t feeling it. I thought about walking, but just made myself keep going. It was warm (71 degrees) but the humidity was (only) 64% which felt like heaven compared to the 95% I was used to in Florida.
Mile 2, things started to get better. My legs were moving easier, my breathing relaxed. I started to forget that I was running.
Mile 3, I started to forget all the negative stuff that I had brought with me on my run. I left it somewhere along the harbor.
Mile 4, I felt good. My pace was gradually getting faster and suddenly all the positivity I had talked about last week began to come back.
Mile 5, everything just came together. I remembered why I run.
Its true: Running makes everything better. I returned ready to take on the day. I am still not back to 100% but hopefully lots of water and getting back to my regular eating habits will help. Also, I might go to hot yoga tonight and sweat out any remaining toxins:)
Last Week’s Workouts
I went into last week without too much of a plan because I would be away for most of it.
Sunday: Rest
Monday: 4.03 miles (8:12 pace), strength, CX Works
Tuesday: 6 miles (9:30 pace), PM- Hot Yoga
Wednesday: elliptical, body pump, cx works
Thursday: 5.05 miles (9:44 pace), tried out pool running for about 15 minutes
Friday: 7 miles (8:30 pace): 4×6 mins hard w/2 min recovery, 3×2 mins hard w/1 min recovery
Saturday: 10 miles (9:46 pace), core work
Total: 32.09
It’s crazy how much my pace slows down in the heat and humidity. Hopefully I will start adjusting to it, because summer running is right around the corner!
How do you adjust back from being on vacation?
How were your workouts last week?
You may also like:
Running For Two: Week 24
Why It’s Hard to Take Rest Days as a Runner
Runfession: I’m Cheating on my Running Shoe Brand
Why Everyone Should Run A Marathon Someday
Once the heat and humidity kick in so does my whining! You will probably be so sick of reading my blog and me complaining about heat, I know I need to just suck it up and accept that summer is hot! It takes me a full month to adjust and and never really like the feeling of sweating that much. My pace definitely slows which is an extra bummer. Glad you got out and did that run! Always come back feeling better after a run you didn’t want to start!
I don’t mind the actual sweating, but I hate how much slower I get. I will probably be doing a lot of complaining too! Although I am trying not to because I’m just glad its not snowing and freezing anymore!
I’m glad you’re feeling better! I get like that too and after running, I always feel better! That aderaline boost is amazing 🙂
This weather has been tough. I did 14k on Sunday in the heat. Took me 1:20:30 and 4 breaks. It felt so hard and I felt like dying from the heat 🙁 there’s no pleasing me (with the weather)!
Nice job getting your run done even though it was hard!
I call them vacation hangovers. I was actually hungover from the entire month of March this year. That adrenaline crash just hits you hard and so does the realization that it is back to real life, as it were. It’s DUMB. I usually start the renaturalization process with laundry, grocery shopping and getting myself back to some sort of routine. But then it’s like wwaaannnnnnhhhhh take me back, so really that does me no good.
I am of no help.
Haha well thank you for relating! I remember my worst vacation hangover was coming back from 2 1/2 weeks in Hawaii last January. It was so depressing. Getting into a routine helps, but its never easy!
Those are the best kinds of runs, where you realize how much and why you love it. I love heading out when I’m not in the mood and it ends up turning my whole day around. Glad it ended on a positive note for you and that picture of inner harbor makes me miss Baltimore 🙂
Yes and I think that is one of the biggest reasons why we run!
A run really does make everything better. There’s no better way to kick a bad mood.
Agreed!
Amen, sister! Running really does make everything better. I think the best trick for post-vacation blues is just to get started right back into your routine, like you did. LOVE the blog layout (must have missed a change!)
Thank you!
I agree that getting back into routine helps. Otherwise you are just delaying the inevitable!
Nice splits! I so wish I could step outside and run by the harbor in the morning. I would be out there every day. It’s just not as scenic up where I am.
I definitely am going to have some work to do adjusting my pace with the humidity too! Last winter almost made me forget how damn muggy it gets here. I think we’re in for it this summer!
Its really nice to be able to run near the harbor every day. I try to remember how awesome that is when I am complaining about all the traffic:)
I actually had today off too (but not for anything fun…I had a doctor’s appointment), so getting up at 5:00am for work tomorrow isn’t going to be fun at all. I agree that running makes everything better…even in the Baltimore heat (I can’t believe it was over 70 degrees at 6:00am when I finally got out the door to workout!)
I know, this weather is crazy! (and today it was like 50 and rainy all day!…bleh)
I definitely felt the humidity today. At first I was bummed by my splits, but then I remember it was 85 with high humidity! I am impressed with your running on vacation. You really did a great job sticking with it!
Yea the humidity can definitely make it harder to run at the same pace your used to!
admittedly my pace never gets better in the humidity, which is part of why I will do more treadmill work over the summer! Hope a little hydration has you perked back up today 🙂
I could totally see that it would make sense to do more treadmill work in the summer! My husband and I were talking about how hard it would be to run in the summer if we lived in Florida. We even agreed we would need to use a treadmill…and we both really don’t like them! Either that or learn how to aqua-jog!
The humidity isn’t even that bad yet and I am hating it. My pace goes down so much. I try to not let it bother me. It only makes me a stronger runner, and when it’s ideal temperatures, I’m going to do really well.
Exactly! I love fall running because it always feels so much easier than the humid summer!
Good job on not wanting to run but still doing it. Turned out to be a great run after all. Sometimes I force myself just to go out for a short run and if I am not feeling it I say to myself I can just turn around. But almost every time I find myself going longer than what I expected.
That’s a great strategy! Usually it only takes a few minutes to get into it and start enjoying the run:)