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Back to Basics

So far, my mileage this week has been:

  • Sunday: first excuse barf -- haven't gone for a weekend run pretty much since I started my 6am-3pm work days (nearly 6 months ago!), leaving me craving "sleeping in" until 7 or 8 am =/
  • Monday: second excuse barf -- study group
  • Tuesday: 3 (~9:15 min/mi)
  • Wednesday: 6 (~9 min/mi)
  • Thursday: third excuse barf -- was resting from the day before as to not re-aggravate injury
  • Friday: TBD when I go to the gym in about an hour and a half
  • Saturday: fourth excuse barf -- sleeping in, doing laundry, going out

Yep, that is it. The pain I've had in my hip flexor for two months is now residual, but the pain of having lungs that are out of shape is comparable.

Additionally, the hot weather (105 degrees yesterday!), lack of life stability, and the ever-present burden of comprehensive exams (which I will be done with pretty much exactly one week from now) have killed any motivation to run.

I'm not going to worry about it too much yet. I'm still working out and such, just choosing other activities over running. I'm eating relatively well in an effort to build my immunity to protect myself against current and potential ailments.

Like swine flu.

Will I even get a regular flu shot? I've been getting them for the past three years, yet I've never had a flu in my life. I doubt there will be a new, experimental anti-H1N1 serum entering my system unless I see a definite need for one.

So yeah, I am going back to basics when it comes to running, not so much focusing on getting faster (it was a secret hope of mine). The obsession with improvement, time, and comparing myself to others has really just taken all the fun out of running and races.

Well, no more (at least... I will TRY).

My first day of school is on Monday. I'll be what they call a "G3" (I was a G2 last year and a G1 the year before... get the pattern?). It's been a pretty good summer in spite of weirdness with work (at which I spent too much time). My goals for the school year are obvious -- pass comprehensive exam, start field hours, get cooking on my dissertation (I don't plan on being anything beyond a "G4" when all is said and done). Fortunately, I only have two classes this semester, and as far as those go, I don't care how I do as long as I pass them at this point!

P.S. Yay for The Weekend! I'm planning on going to Chinatown and Little Tokyo with "The Ukrainian," though if you never see me post again, it's because I've died from the heat.

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Comments

  1. Matt (No Meat Athlete)August 28, 2009 at 6:29 PM

    Wow 105 degrees! It's hot on the right coast too, but not like that. I feel for you. And comprehensive exams, yack! I had my last ones a year and a half ago, and I've sort of blocked that memory out of my brain. But you'll feel great when they're done (of course).

    ReplyDelete
  2. joyRuNAugust 28, 2009 at 10:54 PM

    I hear ya on barf, girl. I've been all over that the past few months.

    Life happens though, & sometimes, running's not the #1 priority.

    ReplyDelete

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