Remember how I talked about falling at the last trail race I did? Well, not only did I look silly, but unbeknownst to me at the time, I got a nasty case of poison oak. So the last few weeks at work (and in life!) were torture. I couldn't wear pants, although I had to, so I was literally sitting on the edge of my chair so that nothing itchy would be touching it. Then I would get home and all I would want to do was take off my pants and stand somewhere without touching anything.
However, I am on a training schedule. For the first week, I endured it. For the second week, I almost punched somebody or scratched my own leg off, but I muscled through. However, the third week, which was last week, I decided to take a few days off. After a long run on Sunday, I did not run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Maybe that doesn't seem like a big deal to some, but running is my crack and without my crack, I am whack.
So on Friday when I was finally not quite as itchy as before, I did a 9 mile speed workout to make up for the days I had missed. On Saturday, when a friend asked if I would run her long run with her, I said sure. It was 20 miles. I was pretty sore by the end of it. Then on Sunday, I ran a few miles with a different friend in order to get in my 36 miles for the week.
Let me tell you, there is a reason you are supposed to take recovery days after a long run.
Monday I was off and I could not waste a beautiful day off by not running, especially when my other runs would have to be done at night, so I ran again. This was a great run, a slow ramble through the forest, with no destination or set mileage in mind. It was sunny and about 50 degrees and I couldn't have asked for a nicer day or a better run.
This training cycle I am currently on calls for 6 days of running a week. SIX. Usually I am a fan of schedules and planning and of things being a certain way and of knowing what that way is going to be. However, this time, I am just running. I am making my own schedule. I am running three or four days a week. I am cramming two days miles into one. If I am putting on my running gear, I am going for it.
Yes, I am still doing a long run and I will most likely get in a hill or a speed workout each week, but other than that, I am enjoying running with friends, and running on the days where it works for me. Sure, sometimes this means running 9 mile and upward runs four days in a row, which isn't the best idea, but it's good. It is testing different boundaries and teaching me (yet again) new things about myself.
It's teaching me things like: running for a long time or many days in a row is good practice for an Ultra. Specifically, the Oholone 50k, which I just signed up for. Yikes.
Have you ever had poison oak? Do you follow your training schedule to a T? Have you ever had to cram all your mileage into less days?