Days off

Well technically this is my first day off. Somehow my brain equates yesterday as a day off as I skipped practice, even though I had already run.

I'm not so worried as I used to be about days off. I think there are a lot of us who feel being athletic is a fluke. Like somehow we kept having to show up to something and accidentally got physically fit. But it wasn't our natural choice. If left to our own devices we would likely sit on the couch and surf the net.

One of the encouraging changes I'm noticing though is my desire to push through the tired, the heavy, and the unwillingness to perform. I keep expecting my body to not want to run or swim or lift or whatever. But there is a significant pleasure in pushing through this and making myself do it. And then there are those days where I don't feel tired and it just goes well. Those are the days that feel like flukes.

Unfortunately if I'm going to push through the tired, like I did yesterday, I really need to focus on my form. I let my form lag and today I am paying for it with hip strain. It's not bad, not painful. But it's tight and feels off and definitely prime for injury if I don't rest, ice and stretch it.

About half of yesterday's run felt like I was just barely keeping on the treadmill. Not good form. When I'm running with good form I'm always bumping into the front of the machine.

Good:
Rest