too much mileage.

I upped my mileage too much this weekend, and I'm reaping it this morning.  I feel like my legs are like jelly, along with having a deep-seated soreness in them.  I remember reading in Runner's World not to up your mileage by more than 10% a week and while I'm not good with numbers, I'm sure I overdid it this weekend.  I was house sitting in 5-Points, I had the time, and it was fun to take off for a while (about an hour and a half at a time).  I think the killer (and why I'm so sore) is that NOTHING was flat.  At all.  At one point I know I marveled at the topography, "how can EVERYTHING be uphill?!?!"

I've been asked numerous times recently, "why are you running, what are you training for?"  Right now, I don't have an answer.  I don't have any races in my sights, and the idea of running a race pricks me with anxiety.  I have slightly entertained the idea of the Disney Princess Half-Marathon (run through Disney world, yeah!  And it's FLAT.), but that's about as far as that thought-train has gone.

My confident answer to "why are you running?" is, "I run for fun."  Because that is why I run.  I like it.  It helps me loose weight.  It is a whole lot cheaper than therapy when stressed.   And I feel really strong when I'm done (and occasionally frozen).

Here are the few running thoughts I need to remember (thus why committing them to the blog world)--

• Take some stinking rest days.  This is the hardest one, and is the thing I fight the most.  I've had a few runs on "tired legs" and they are awful.  I think of the verse, "He MAKES me lie down in green pastures."  I fight rest, but it is very often the most necessary thing to keep going well.
• Fuel well.  I love me some apples (obvi), but I have a MUCH better run when I've had a complex carb the days before.
• Focus.  When I try to run distracted, I find that I can't get going and it's a struggle to finish.  But when I can focus on my stride, how I'm moving, or even just the pavement & surroundings, the time flies by.
• Music.  I ebb and wane on listening to music when I run indoors (I don't wear earbuds when I run outside, #safety).
• A bad run doesn't make me a bad runner.