It Seems Simple, But A Free Training Tip...

On yesterday's run, I think I made both of what I consider two cardinal mistakes of those who are self-coached.  In about a 30 minute span, I went through a range of decisions on whether or not to run.  The two mistakes I made in this span were:
1) Realizing since I don't have to answer to anyone, I can take a day off whenever I want.
2) Since I don't have to answer to anyone, I can run even if everything in my body is telling me I shouldn't.

After school let out I had about a 30 minute teacher meeting that made me a bit late to practice.  By the time I got out there I had pretty much convinced myself I was too tired to run.  I was worn down, my throat felt a bit sore, and I felt like I could have fallen asleep on my feet.  So I decided not to run...

Then I began to feel guilty.  In reality, I convinced myself that my mind was making me feel tired and worn down, and my body really could go...and if my body can go, then I have no excuse not to run.  So I get on my running clothes and get ready to try to catch up with some of my runners for the end of their runs.  Instead, I ran into another coach and began to talk for 20 minutes.  By the time I was done, my runners were finishing up, and I had convinced myself not to run again.

This lasted all of 10 minutes, because seeing all my runners come in, finished with their runs, motivated me.  So I finally decided to head out the door...into the freezing rain that had just started to come down.  I decided to run laps around the track to start, and I'm glad I did because almost immediately my calf began to cramp up.   This shouldn't have been a surprise, since the shin on that let had been sore after my failed workout the day before.  When my shins begin to get sore, the calf cramps usually follow.  Anyway, I tried to run it out and let my body warm up, but after a terrible mile in 7:30, getting pounded with freezing rain that felt like tiny knives blowing into my face on the backstretch, I finally decided to call it a day.  My final tally: 1 mile.

So my free training advice is: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!  Know the difference between tired and worn down, sore and broken down.  My body was worn down and my calves were broken down, and my body told me that before I ever took a step, but I ignored it.  A day off wouldn't have hurt me but running through it could very well have.

To follow that up, I ran 7 miles Friday and experienced some decent calf tightness and shin pain, but nothing like what I dealt with on Thursday.  Extra stretching, foam rolling, and sleeping in compression socks seemed to help.