Sticking with it

Yesterday my run was pretty decent after a week of struggling to stick with it. The older I get the more I have to remind myself to listen to my body. Friday I was tired so I skipped my running and went home straight from work. I was totally asleep by 9:00 pm and didn't move until the sun was peaking through my window Saturday morning.

I started a little late for a morning run, but I felt like running so I went anyway. The heat was brutal about an hour into the run, but I figured it was good training physically and mentally. I pressed on through the run enjoying the countryside and very little traffic to hinder me. Completely distracted, which was good, I ran. Before I knew it I ran 12 miles and my run was over. More miles than I had scheduled to run for a Saturday, but I figured I would back off a little on the miles Sunday (today). It was interesting to see that I was only about seven minutes off  my marathon goal time (based on the marathon pace calculator) and considering I walked the first half mile for warm up that is not too bad. I checked out mile times when I got home and as normal I get faster with distance, until I hit my threshold and I bottom out.

My biggest struggle with my training plan for each week is sticking to it, not because I don't want to, but often times my work gets me off track. Parents come in, buses break down or another last minute meeting is called. It gets frustrating, but I roll with it. I try not to make excuses and look for ways to get the miles in somewhere else on another day. Sometimes physically exhausted other times mentally exhausted. Life can consume me , If I am not careful, I won't make time for me. Sticking to it is one of my goals, pressing on when I get off track. I try to apply that to my running, eating habits and life in general. Life happens sometimes and things don't go as I plan.

Each week I start new and let go of what I did or didn't do the previous week. I have come to realize that I can't change it no matter how much I analyze it and look for solutions, "it is what it is." One strategy I try to use is to schedule "me time" into my calendar. This helps when someone calls and wants to meet, its on my calendar. I try to schedule around these times. Sometimes that works and other times it doesn't. If the boss calls, I gotta go.

This week is a new week, a new schedule, a new attempt so I move into the new week with an early morning run on track and believing I can get it right and hit my targeted miles:)