Trying to fight adversity and failing

I woke up Sunday morning with the knowledge that I needed to run 14-16 miles. I was feeling a bit run down and tired, but figured the run would put me back in the right mindset. I finally threw on my running clothes and headed out the door. I have done this 16 mile course at least 3-4 times already and know it way too well. Run down the long way to Washington Street, follow route 16 for about 5 miles and turn onto Comm Ave following the course into Washington Square. At Washington Square, swing a left onto Washington Street and follow it home for the 2 miles.

As I was plugging along the first part on my way to route 16, the thought of running the course 3 times this week was making me sick. For those that live far away, you are probably ready to yell at me through the screen. People kill to train on the Boston course and yet it is the last thing I want to do. You see, I really have no choice when picking a run. It all at one point has to hit the course based off of where I live. There is almost no way to avoid it unless I run side streets up and down for the entire run and even then it would be parallel to the course. So, as I am not wanting to run the course, I devise the best plan ever. I am going to run 7 miles to the high school, run 5 around the track and then run 2.5 home.

I am instantly in a better mood when realizing that I do not have to do the same course for the 1000th time this year. I continue on my run in good spirits and make it to the track. Low and behold, what do I see, peewee lacrosse games occurring. Ok, I will just run on the side of the track in which no one is viewing the kids. I start until a stray ball comes into my path. The peewee kids may not have the best accuracy! I give up and decide that I will run to the middle school and do the .5 mile course 10 times to get my mileage in. I take the long way to the middle school in which I develop a blister. This blister is now my focus of the run. I threw on new socks for my run and am blaming them as the culprit. I make it to the middle school and the thought of running the block makes me want to kick and scream in a little girl tantrum. I instead call it a day and limp home.

All in all, I fell 1.5 miles short of my minimum goal. Was I disappointed? Surprisingly not. I really was not feeling the run from the start and was fighting it the entire time. Should I have continued? Maybe, but maybe this was a sign from my body that I need to let it rest sometimes. Heck, no rest day really wreaks havoc on your mental state. You feel like an endless exercise machine with only one goal out there. So, today will start a new week and hopefully a much better mental state. And you will see me on the course multiple times during the final push towards Boston.