I like training plans. I like having something there in black and white telling me what I should be doing on certain days. My current training plan has me running 4 days a week with one cross training day and 2 rest days. I run Tues, Weds, Thurs and Sat. I cross train on Mondays and take Friday and Sunday as rest days. This works for me.
This week's training plan was suppose to look like this:
Monday - cross train
Tuesday - 5 mile run
Wednesday - 8 mile run
Thursday - 5 mile run
Friday - rest
Saturday - 18 mile run
Sunday - rest
So far this week has actually looked like this:
Monday - BodyPump plus elliptical
Tuesday - 4 mile run (38:04)
Wednesday- BodyFlow plus elliptical
Thursday - 5 mile run (48:53)
Friday - rest
This week is the first in my training plan that I have not completed a scheduled workout. I knew Tuesday night even AFTER I packed my gym bag and got my clothes ready for the next day that I was not going to run 8 miles as scheduled on Wednesday. Something wasn't there. But I tried to convince myself before bed that I was going to get up and go for it anyway. It was on my training schedule. I had to.
But the alarm went off...all 3 of them actually.. and all I could do was lay there. My husband tried his best to convince me to go but I said, "I just don't feel it. I'm not burnt out. I love to run. I just know that I cannot go and run 8 miles this morning." Saying the words I can't was hard. It's not something I enjoy saying. It doesn't make me proud. I told him something just didn't feel right with my body. He said to me, "If you need to rest, rest. Your body needs it, so take it." Myabe he didn't say those exact words but it's close to what he said. And he was right. I slept instead of going to the gym to run my 8 miles.
All day Wednesday I was hard on myself. I mentally beat myself up for being a loser and not sticking to the plan. I went back and forth about what exactly my plan would be since I wasn't going to run the 8 miles. Should I run? If I did run how many miles could I safely squeeze in before going home? I say safely because my mid week mid distance run isn't a speed run but one I like to run at "race pace" or a little slower but not quite as slow as my long slow distance runs. Anyway...
I was not going to run. Not even a mile. I checked the gym schedule and saw that BodyFlow was on the schedule and I could make it after work. I love Les Mills classes. I take BodyPump often (well, right now only once a week) and have had great results.
BodyFlow is described as "a fusion of yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates that will calm the mind while lengthening and strengthening the body. Stand taller, feel stronger, gain flexibility and be more aware of your mind and body." You can also read more or see video example of BodyFlow here.
It definitely sounded like something I was interested in and could use on a day like yesterday. So, my plan was to go and do some cardio (elliptical) and then make it to BodyFlow.
I actually went to BF first because there wasn't enough time to hop on the elliptical before class. The class was really great. I haven't ever really done a great deal of yoga but know a few basic moves. The same goes for Pilates. I have never done any Tai Chi but it has enough interest to me especially now that I have taken BodyFlow. The class was an hour long and started with some basic yoga moves and breathing exercises for the warm up. It then moved into some more difficult yoga and Tai Chi moves with some pilates and after a few minutes I was totally working up a decent sweat. Sweat is good. I think the raised heart rate and sweatyness lasted a bit before we started the calming aspect of class. This was my favorite part. I won't say I have been particularly stressed but was definitely stressed yesterday because I had gone off my schedule. It was still bugging me.
For the calming portion/cool down of the class the instructor turned the lights to dim. She took us through some relaxing techniques and before I knew it all that stretching and bending made me feel as though my body had turned to mush. I felt 100% better about my whole day. I no longer felt the need to berate myself for missing my 8 mile run, for going off my plan and doing something completely different. I wasn't concerned at that point about not logging the total mileage for the week that my training plan called for. I was happy and confident again.
I've been told over and over again to listen to my body and for the most part I do that. There have been times in doing that when I have still let the mental battle get me down. I'm glad that yesterday I listened to my body and ignored the "haters" within that tried to once again beat me down. Those voices become so powerful some days and try so hard to make me feel more defeated but I'm thankful that I also have the little wise voice in there that reasons with the haters. It's a great feeling knowing there is that balance.
Today I woke up feeling refreshed. The choice to rest was smart and I don't even feel guilty.
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