Sometimes, No Run is a Good Run

Galen Rupp,  before first place finish at Olympic Trials

TS Debby has been churning up the waters off the Gulf coast for a while now,  throwing the edge of her wide weather up onto the SE Florida shores....once I got home from work on Friday,  I made the decision to take this window as a "Do Not Run" opportunity- one I rarely take- and find rest and healing.

I have an addiction to running.  I know this, because when I don't run, even by inner 'agreement', I miss it,  I think I am 'slacking',  I'll get fat, lazy and old,  I'll never be able to run again etc etc ad nauseum.   Another benefit of time off, even a short one,  is to hammer out the distortions, such as these which fly just under the surface;  and of course are linked to other, deeper self-criticisms which tend to interpret my doings or not-doings from a performance perspective.  I am worthy because....(fill in blank)....Until I come back to the simple and true;  I AM.

As an added bonus,  I watched as much of the Olympic Track Trials out of Eugene, Oregon, as I could catch.   Performance judged on 100th of seconds;  miles so fast,  I could only dream of what they feel like,  young athletes felled into tears when they realize "I am going to London!!" and the roar of appreciative crowds...ahh, the excitement of crowds at races!!  Altogether,  my idea of a little slice of heaven, even by proxy.

So after hours of self-massage and stretching and mini-tramp and yoga, cooking and eating good food including generous amounts of fresh fruit and veggies, (perfecting my sugar-free cookies as treat)...

and the inspiration of REAL athletes newly planted in my brain,  I headed out today into a blustery, drizzly, grey morning and tackled a 6-7 miler, curious about how it would feel.    Up and over Emerald Hills,  down 56th,  cutting over to my little side park for water and stretching and then down Park back home.....I only walked the last little bit, and felt GREAT!!!  I needed that time off.  I know I only exacerbate those 'hot spots' when I run through.  Moral of story??  LISTEN to my body and give it the rest, the self-care,  the attention it calls for!  

I heard them talk about many of those Olympic athletes as needing the month before London to repair and prepare....I may be nowhere near the level of ability which causes me to ramp so far down, since I'm not so far up to begin with.   But sometimes,  doing nothing is better than something.  For runners,  a time off can be important for the 'long run'.    Past pushing through sheer will-power,  listen to your "common sense" today.   Most of all,  rest when you can,  and absorb the intensity of learning which is taking place for us all as we continue our transition past the Solstice and into the rest of this amazing year!