Well, hello. I disappeared for a few days this week, right after I proclaimed that I’d be sticking to my training plan all hardcore-like up until the half-marathon on March 9.
My mom developed a complication while recovering from her surgery (not super-serious, but uncomfortable and a nuisance), so I spent Wednesday through Friday taking her to the hospital each day and bouncing from doctor to doctor to work on making things right.
I will never hesitate for a second to help my mom out with anything, but man, it is mentally exhausting to spend so much time at the hospital, and I’m not even the patient.
It’s tough to keep appointments and information straight, juggle endless paperwork, take notes on medical mumbo-jumbo, and, most of all, see how tough and draining it is for my mom.
This is not me complaining. These are just statements. I will never, ever, ever complain about helping my mom!
Anyway, by the time we got home each day, it was just easier to relax in comfy clothes and be on my work laptop until long after dark trying to catch up on work stuff.
(By the way, I am extremely grateful to my employer because I’m able to work remotely and my bosses are very understanding and allow me to take whatever time I need to help my mom. Huge blessing, right thurr.)
I did do a 5-mile tempo run on the treadmill early Thursday morning (yay!), but I missed an easy 3-mile run and two strength-training sessions. I’m a bit disappointed, but in the scheme of things, those missed workouts are so incredibly small and irrelevant.
What IS relevant: Aside from the minor-ish complication in my mom’s recovery, there was nothing but GREAT NEWS for her from her doctors! My hope is that in six months, this will all just be a memory.
On to today’s long run: 12 miles, baby.
I should not do my long runs this fast. I know this.
I did a 6-mile out-and-back on the East Lake Sammamish Trail again (aka the route of my upcoming half-marathon), and discovered that my right hip does not enjoy running on gravel for so long. That’s nice.
There was a delightful headwind for the last 6 miles and I got really tired during mile 10 (the slowest, as you can see), but it was a great exercise in pushing through physical exhaustion and mental fatigue.
Oh, you want to stop running, legs? I don’t care. WERK.
I took a chocolate Clif Shot at miles 5 and 9.5, and boy, did I need them. They were sent straight from heaven, I tell ya.
Aaaaanyway. Who’s excited for the Oscars on Sunday? And The Bachelor on Monday?? Me me me!
Dev on Running 