Week in Review: May 21 - 27 (such as it is...)

This is my weekly training journal. Including it in the blog gives me a little extra accountability in the mileage department & helps me stick to my schedule. :)

Grand Total: 6 miles, all easy

So originally I had several easy runs of different lengths scheduled for this post-race week. But I really just didn't feel like running on Monday or Tuesday. Don & I were both (mostly) off work, and I really kind of just wanted to lounge around with him & get some stuff around the house done. I went out for an easy six miler on Wednesday before karate and didn't even wear my watch. Thursday, Friday, & Saturday we lounged some more, cleaned up/did house stuff, had coffee in the middle of the day, & went out for tasty dinners. Running just didn't seem to fit in vibe-wise, so I didn't force it. On Sunday we threw a big Memorial Day BBQ. And to be honest, since Wednesday I really haven't had the itch to run at all.

I've read several posts lately about periodization and the ebb & flow of training cycles and found myself thinking a lot about that this week. At first I felt a little guilty about "slacking off," but then the rational part of my brain was like, "Look. You've had two rather intense training cycles back-to-back. You've had two half marathon PRs in as many months and two MASSIVE PRs in the last three weeks. Give yourself a freaking break already."

And I said to myself, "Self, you are absolutely right. Time for a little break." So I'm viewing this week as a kind of celebratory one, as a well-deserved break that came at just the right time. It's not that I'm burnt out & kind of sick of running the way I was around mid-November of last year, but in retrospect, I think the reason I got to that point is because I never really let myself take a break that entire year. I built mileage literally non-stop from January through November, raced twice as much as I had the year before, and really never let up. By taking a little break before I get burnt out, I feel like I'm investing in my running mental health.

It's kind of like eating. Even if you're having your absolute favorite foods, if you keep eating and eating and eating and never take a break, you'll eventually make yourself sick. If you stop eating while you're still enjoying it and take a break for a few hours and give yourself a chance to get hungry again, you'll enjoy it all the more.

So I guess that's what I want to do. I want to make sure I don't stuff myself with running & racing to the point of misery, and give myself enough of a break that I'm nice and hungry for training when I start my Santa Rosa cycle in July. June's easy mileage will hopefully serve as a light appetizer. :)