Cycles

I don't know how many times I've been through this cycle. Probably once every year or two since about 2010.

When you pay a lot of attention to running. And get really excited about it. And fixate on it. You tend to improve a lot and enjoy what you're doing and have a lot of energy for it. Also at some point you tend to get hurt because you get too excited and then you take all that fixation and investment and it gets kind of ugly when you are hurting and injured and can't run the way you want.

So you stop caring about running as much and you do it it in a more conservative way and don't pay as much attention to it so that you won't get hurt and you can make smarter decisions when the need to not run or run easy arises.

So then I guess the trick is staying motivated without being injured and discouraged.

This is all a long way of saying that I went out too hard on my long run today, even though I was feeling really good, and 7 miles into it I had to admit that my hip was simply not having any of it today. So I kinda did a jog/limp/walk of shame back home for the last 4 miles.

Really the worst part was finishing out the run. Because I did run a high quality 7 miles at a good pace with reasonable effort on a hilly loop. If I could have somehow planned it so I could've just ended the run at 7 and then showered and stretched and massaged, I wouldn't have that much to be upset about. But having to get back home when you really don't want to be moving anymore is pretty defeating and it's hard not to think anything other than, "I should not be moving right now. This hurts.  I wish it was not hurting."

But I think I managed my frustration pretty well. I think I have a good idea of what I need to do to get my legs feeling better. I mean, I really was getting away with murder to take one day off, feel great, and then do three quality days in a row. I've really been running hard since like, last Friday. Except for one day completely off. So, I had my fun. I'm backing off now. I'll have some busy days coming up and maybe that's for the best.

Tomorrow's goal is to do a very easy run with no pain. Barefoot. On grass. And then at most I'll do another very easy run on Friday. Really gonna recover. I promise. No plans for workouts. I've had my fill of fast running and quality. Ready to just run easy and feel good.