Back on track, without the track.............................

I feel as if I got a handle on my running yesterday after the crazy week and feeling like I was not giving it the attention that I wanted to be giving it.

As I said, I got up and out early Saturday morning so I could fit it my scheduled run, and then did 5.5 miles Sunday morning (in about 57 minutes) and then close to four miles in about 37 minutes. I need to get out in the car and figure out exactly how much I need to add to my four mile route that turned out to be only 3 miles and I have not done so as of yet. I added some, but the fact that I only took 37 minutes tells me not enough. My "4 mile" route used to end right by a cemetery that sits up on a hill and I am thinking that if I run through that not only will it be enough added distance, it will give me a built in hill workout. Double bonus! Now you see why I haven't gotten it measured...That would mean I would have to start doing the hills.

I had both runs in by two in the afternoon, and for some (strange) reason I felt like going out and running again around 4:00 (could this be that runners high thing that I have heard rumors about but never experienced first hand?). Knowing this would not be a good thing to do I refrained, and boy am I glad. About 8:00 last night I all of a sudden didn't feel good, and know it was from pushing myself too hard during the week. I am glad I pushed myself, because I am really starting to feel stronger when I run, but I also know that rest and recovery are really important parts of any training program. I still have a small degree of fear about rest days thinking that one could turn into two, and then into twelve, and twenty, and two months, until I am back to being the couch potato I once was. I know this is an irrational fear as I have established a great pattern/habit of working out, but still it lurks. Oh well. A little fear never hurt anyone, and if it keeps me on my toes (or should I say putting on my shoes and heading out the door) it's a good thing. Right?