How to Not Spend a Rest Day

The worst thing about waiting until the last month to train for a HIM is that I really can't take any extra rest or time off. 3000m in the pool is an easy workout. So far, I've been feeling good. Better than I had expected, even. Thursday we had a large group and I was chomping at the bit to pick up the pace. Part of it was a bad day, but part was just being in better shape than I have been.

Fridays are my scheduled rest days. A typical Friday night is sitting on our neighbor's patio or watching a movie on the couch. This Friday, we had tickets to Buzz Under the Stars, an outdoor concert, so instead of lounging around, I spent the night on my feet outside. Before Offspring even took the stage, my feet were swollen and starting to ache. (Sidebar: To add insult to injury, the concert was one of the worst-miked concerts I have ever been to. Seriously, $45 a ticket and we either get feedback or no lead vocalist. I hope some sound guy was fired.)

We slept in so we could get at least 8 hours and around 9, we headed out for a run at Wyco. Before we even started, my feet felt tired. I'm used to feeling tired. I won't have fresh legs until the day before Boise, so I'm used to the feeling. Usually, after a few miles I can get into a groove and the deadness disappears.

The first 10 miles were fine. It was a little rough, but what do you expect after a few Miller Lites the night before? I felt significantly better after and potty stop around mile 8. We came back to car, filled up on food and water and debated cutting the run down to 16 miles. John said his feet felt like hamburger and I was starting to feel the same.

The bridal trails on the second lap were brutal. Every downhill was more difficult than the last. All of my stabilizing muscles and tendons from the knees down were shot. Temps and humidity were rising. John started walking. We were both stumbling like we were drunk or 35 miles into a run (your coordination is about the same, either way). My feet felt mushy. This run was going downhill, fast.

We made the decision to hike the last 2 miles back. I couldn't believe how much my feet hurt. With my current training, a 16 mile run should have been a piece of cake. We did 15 last week and we were hung over. The last mile back, I really felt like I had bit off more than I could chew.

Clearly, standing outside in the sun for 4+ hours and having a couple beers the night before was not the best way to spend my only rest day this week. On the bright side, a 16 mile run is still an accomplishment and those last 4 miles don't hurt my training at all.

I showered, ice my knees and elevated my legs. The rest of the day, we took it pretty easy. Tomorrow afternoon I have a ride planned, but with a good nights sleep and no alcohol, I should be ready to roll. The next few weeks I have to behave and take my rest as seriously as my workouts. Just one more thing to add to the "Don't" list.