Exhausted!

It's been a tough week. I mapped out a plan to run 3 times midweek, run my long run of 9 miles on Saturday, all while hitting the weights again with two upper and two lower body workouts, and up my elliptical days from one to two. All this, and a HUGE project deadline at work on Wednesday. I knew Wednesday might get funny, so I gave myself permission to slack a bit on the elliptical stuff if necessary.

Well Tuesday night turned out to be an all-nighter for me. Ok, not technically since I did manage to grab a little bit of sleep from 5:30am to 6:50am. (You're thinking I should have gone to the gym then, aren't you? Kidding.) I have been tired ever since. I even downed a bottle of that 5-hour energy stuff they sell on the counters of 7-11's round' the world. I took it at 4pm, in fear of falling asleep while going to get the girls, or having a hellish evening of preparing dinner while my face was plastered to the couch. So that bottle of 5 hours netted me about 3.5, and I'm not complaining! I even played Sudoku in that time span, so consider that my rave review for the stuff--when absolutely necessary.

Anyhoo, then my mom called and asked if I was coming to their church's annual Easter Egg Hunt for kids (read: you bad parent, you, for not having planned any Easter festivities, purchased Easter dresses, committed to any egg-decorating EVER IN THEIR LIVES). In order to get there in time on Saturday morning, I would have to leave early enough that would prohibit my 9 mile run...unless I want to take the girls in their pajamas, and that's never a good look. Long story short, I ran it today.

So here's my rundown as to why I am so rundown:

Monday & Tuesday: 3 mile runs both days, felt great, swopping upper body and lower body workouts. On Tuesday's run, I did some ol Biggest Loser type stuff and really hit it hard in the last few minutes. Body check: what's that? Is that my right calf hurting a bit?

Wednesday: Nada (well, not working out, at least.) I was so busy at work all I had time for was a small bag of beef jerky (that I bought when I bought the 5-hour energy shot). It was tasty. Got home and ate my face off. Yelled at hubby when he told me to get off the couch and go to bed. Went to bed, but not before setting my phone alarm for 4:45. Make that 4:40, I might need an extra 5 minutes.

Thursday: After waking up at 5am, I still went to the gym. Thinking about maybe running Friday instead of Saturday, I did just 2 miles on the treadmill and FORCED MYSELF TO GO SLOW. I also did a workout of both upper and lower body in one day, which I absolutely hate doing...and not for any other reason other than I just don't like being around weights and beefcakes for too long. Body check: I think my calf hurts still. Hmm.

Friday: Let's do it! Take the morning off. Go run that 9 miles! I even got my sweet beloved Garmin working again. (AND FORGOT IT!) So I'm heading up Lakeshore Drive (honestly people, is it Lakeshore Drive, or Lake Shore Drive? I've seen it both ways.) And I notice the wind whipping up the waves something fierce and decide on a "NO" for the concrete monster, that's what I call the area near Oak Street Beach. It's a beast in the summer when the morning sun comes up over the horizon and slaps you on your face with no shade to be found. (There it is on the left, only this picture is obviously during warmer times. Those people off in the distance on the right? Well that was all water today.) While driving, I also pinpointed the area of the S-curve's latest victim that I read about yesterday. I wonder how many lightpoles along LSD have taken people out.

Anyhoo, so I park just north of the History Museum on Clark. At a meter. Gatorade? Check! Gu? Check! And I get out of the car and WHOOOOOOOSH! The wind hits me and I'm frozen immediately. As I walk over to the Ben Franklin statue in an effort to conjure up the good vibes of the 2007 training season with CES (and that's where we used to meet), I was coming up with all kinds of excuses...you don't even have your Garmin (b.s. there are half mile markers up and down the lakefront. In theory.)...you saw the forecast, it might be warmer on Sunday morning. (b.s. you're already HERE.)

So I just started running. Into the wind. And it sucked. I was so slow, although I don't exactly know how slow, because I looked at my cell phone at the beginning and at the end of my run to gauge some sort of time. I was cold, my hands were cold, my stomach...MY STOMACH was numb from the cold wind. I stopped to stretch like three times, my right calf telling me "You'll be sorry you did this!" But I made it to my turnaround point, took a Gu, and then everything became effortless. I don't know if it was due to less wind or the Gu, but I was in the zone. And then I finished. One hour and 54 minutes later. Crappy pace of 12:40, but now I only have one more long run before the Indy Mini Marathon.

I realize that my training for this race is less than ideal, but I'm glad that I've been able to make these "make or break" runs, regardless. It probably won't be fun, and I certainly have run other races more prepared, but at least I'm covering the distance, one way or another.

My calf has been hurting all day now, but sitting at my desk at work probably isn't much help, either. Extra stretching all weekend, and no working out AT ALL.

Week Totals:

Mileage: 17 miles, 4 runs

Strength: 2 upper, 2 lower

Elliptical (Cross training): 0