STUMBLE? NO WHINING. GET UP AGAIN.

You know, every once in awhile, you have an off day. Today, I had an off day. Had a great sleep last night. However, there were alot of little things that were throwing me off balance this morning. I am fighting a bit of a sore throat and cough. I've had a minor stomach thing going on lately. Before I left for the gym, I pulled out my back. Won't even go into the details of how I did that. Yesterday I added extra weight to the leg press and had a nagging ache in my right thigh. I got ready...mentally preparing myself for my long run.

Fridays are my long run days. I am ahead of schedule with my distance. Last Friday I did 11 miles. My intention is to increase by a mile every month until race day. 11 miles the month of February...12 miles the month of March...13 miles the beginning of April...and then begin tapering down to race day. Today my goal was to shoot for 10-11 miles. I am stronger and further ahead than I was last year.

Many days, I roll out of bed at 4:30-5:00 a.m not feeling 100%. Sometimes it's mental, sometimes it's physical, but regardless... I am on autopilot. Goals. Run. Lift. Elliptical. Gym. I just get up and go. Unless I am seriously ill, or seriously injured, I go. That's what you do when you have goals. When I feel like that, usually, once I get running, or lifting or going on the elliptical, I'm ok. My adrenaline kicks in, I feel fine and I am glad to be doing what I love to do.

Once in a blue moon, though...it just doesn't work. Happens rarely. Very rarely. And, it is even MORE rare that it happens when I have STARTED a run...started a workout. In the 2 years I've been exercising, in the year and a half I've been running...I think it's happened...2...maybe...3...times. It happened today.

I started my run. I could tell almost right away that things weren't working. My body was not falling into place like it should. That happens sometimes. I also go into autopilot when I'm running. As a runner, there are times when little aches, little pains, little things happen to distract, to divert, to throw you off course. But, you move past them. Through them. Around them. Over them. I mentally could not lock into that zone.

Today it didn't work. I was really struggling to make it work. It was supposed to be my long run. I was fighting it. Finally, giving in to my better judgement, and pushing down disgust, anger and disappointment, I stopped running after 4 miles. I only did 4 stinking miles. I was supposed to do 10-11 miles. Geez.

Anyone who runs knows that to give in, to stop, when you feel you have to...or need to...for whatever reason...is hard to do. It goes against the grain of who you are. Sounds weird? Guess you're not a runner. But, I stopped. I knew I would end up doing more harm than good by making any type of attempt at continuing the run. Man, I hated stopping.

Some days...you just have days like today. It was discouraging and disappointing. I was mad. And disgusted. But, the one thing I was grateful for at the end of the day? That I had the brains to stop.

Tomorrow, I will see how I feel. It is supposed to be a gorgeous day. If I am feeling up to it, I will attempt a long run. Outdoors. If not, I may hit the gym for some strength and cardio training. I may also take my one daughter out on the back road in the woods behide our house. She wants to start to run. Now that? That makes me smile.