Vacations Mess With Your Mojo

I just got back from spending 4 relaxing days in Florida. You would think that after all the complaining I do about running in the cold weather, I would jump at the opportunity to run while down south. Yeah. You would think. So what did I do? Well, the gym had a fancy-pants treadmill with a T.V. attached so I just had to give it a go. I got on it and watched T.V. for an hour, churning out 6.5 miles then went back to my room, showered then met my husband at the bar where I proceeded to enjoy some beers and anything with melted cheese on top. And so went the next 3 days. Sigh. And now here I am, back home, full of horrible non-energizing food and totally derailed from all things training and healthy! Yikes! The second I drop my 4-year-old off at preschool tomorrow, I'm hitting the gym. With any luck, I'll be able to run for 3 miles on the treadmill without passing out. Better eat salad and fish for dinner.
How do you guys stay motivated while on vacation? And more importantly for me right now, how do you get back into it once you get home if you fell off the training wagon while away?

Rain Smain!

I have the most supportive husband ever: he is 100% behind me in my 1/2 marathon dream and will give me an enthusiastic "Go for it!" whenever I ask for a spare hour or so to go for a run. He works from our home and when not on the road, is always willing to hang with our 4-year-old during his lunch hour so I can get a short run in. Today was such a day. I was trying to talk myself into the idea of getting out there because (a) it's my day to run! and (b) it was 58 out and I know these kind of days are soon to be a thing of the past. However, I spent the morning cleaning after having house guests and feeling that overall post-holiday sluggishness (sluggishness?) feelings so I was willing to skip the run and was even preparing excuses when my perfect man came up the basement stairs and said "I'm going make lunch for me and Q so you can go for a run if you want." Seriously? How am I supposed to be a sloth and make some lame excuse after that perfect husbandness?? I quickly geared up and out I went.

My plan was to get in at least my normal 4 mile run but I really think I need to start bumping up my short runs in addition to my long runs. I went out with the feeling of 'go for 4, but 4.5 or 5 would be even better'. I went a totally different route as a last minute decision as well. I got about a half mile from my house when the rain started. It was just a light drizzle and it wasn't cold out so it actually felt kind of good. I stuffed my iPod up my sleeve to keep it dry (I can't seem to find a holder that I like) and kept moving. It stopped as quickly as it started but then 5 minutes later, started back up. This starting/stopping went on and on every 5 minutes or so for a bit but then on the back part of my route, I got to the base of the 'big stupid I hate you bastard never ending hill' hill and it really started to come down. It was one of those moments when I was feeling really into it, having a great run but the combination of the hill and the hard falling rain could have sent me either way. This is one of those times when I realize just how much of running is psychological. I had a little inner chat about how this was no big deal and it worked. Off I went, up that damn hill and I felt great. I ended up running 5.5 miles today which I think is good for me right now, for a 'short run' day. Shows me that even on days when I don't think I can do it, I can. Thanks to my inner chat and my super supportive fantastic and easy on the eyes husband!

Brain vs. Legs: Game On!

Since yesterday was Wednesday, it was my "oh goodie! I get to run so I think I'll go out way to hard and to fast because I'm so happy to be running" day. As a result, my legs were very anti-run this morning. My brain, on the other hand, was all for it. And so the inner dialogue began. There is something about that first 1/4 mile or so when my legs are just screaming at me. The argument goes something like this: Legs - "What are you doing! Why did we leave that perfectly good hazelnut coffee and the couch? We were happy there! And there was a great article in the Style section just begging to be read!" Brain: "Zip it and keep moving. We are running today and you will like it!" And so it goes. On days like this, I like to trick my legs into going further. I play the 'just one more tree' game, as in "OK legs, see that tree up there? I bet you can't make it to that tree." and my legs, being the stubborn things that they are say "Oh yeah? Watch me!" and then just like that, I make it to the tree. I do this for as long as it takes. One tree at a time. Mile after mile. Today this game was very much in effect and I am happy to say that the brain was way ahead of the legs. Around mile 3, I see this woman walking with her dog coming toward me on the path. She is grinning ear to ear. As I get closer, I realize why this woman is so dang happy. She is walking with a venti frappuccino!!! A venti!!! At that moment, my legs and my brain both nearly came to a screeching halt. Legs: "Did you see that? Starbucks is closer than home! That could be our next tree!" Brain: "Hmmm...you make a good argument." But somehow, I managed to plow through and turned left instead of right which took me closer to home and further from the Starbucks. Game back on. I am happy to say that I added 1.5 miles to my run from yesterday and everyone is happy. My brain gets to brag and my legs got a banana and vanilla yogurt smoothie as a much better substitute for that 500 calorie frappuccino (yes, 500. I looked it up as soon as I got home).