Yesterday’s runs, both the work breaks and the training workout that evening, felt different. I certainly didn’t feel faster or energetic, but they felt stronger.
I didn’t feel myself struggling to stay with it on any of them. The 45 minutes on the treadmill could have possibly lasted another 10-15 minutes, and that was after a difficult turbo weekend where I had to stop 3 times on a 50 minute fast finish workout (never minding the brutal long workout on Saturday). My work break runs in what is now 110°F heat somehow felt more comfortable yesterday than they should have.
I didn’t get a ton of sleep over the long weekend. In fact, I only got about 5 hours Monday night into Tuesday morning before last night’s workout, and I definitely felt it on the drive from work to the gym.
But I got on the mill and after starting with the familiar easiness that turns 10 minutes later into tense struggle… suddenly something shifted and it became sustainably easy once again. In fact, I was a bit too far toward the front of the treadmill and had to increase the velocity a bit to maintain a comfortably easy pace. The final 5 minute cooldown snuck up on me, as did the 45 minute end of the workout. I could have easily kept going.
I also didn’t eat any special food this weekend. Until yesterday, in fact, my diet had been relatively poor throughout the long weekend. Perhaps getting back on track helped? But my first full meal yesterday wasn’t until after my first work break run (in 99°F morning sunshine) and that run felt good.
In any case, that feels like progress, and I do feel decent this morning. I have a full rest day today, and then turbo training continues tomorrow. I may also have special plans for Saturday’s 8 miler. We’ll see.
I have to remind myself to be patient with training. These difficult treadmill workouts, struggling to get through 10-12 miles, struggling to work outdoors. I have to remind myself it’s also very hot, and even indoor conditions are relatively warm, that these conditions dramatically slow everyone down. I have to remind myself that Vegas is high enough in altitude to affect your aerobic capacity (2350′-2700′, 725-825m), and that the dry, often dusty desert air adds to the challenge.
Even as I’m trying to burn fat and lose weight, I have to remind myself that restrictive eating, undereating, is counter-productive, that your metabolism goes into bear mode and slows down in kind when you restrict food while training.
My weight loss stalled, and then I stopped trying to restrict calories, and now it’s moving downward again. I always forget that when I slimmed down to 160 I wasn’t actively trying to lose weight. I trained, ate smart, and just let it happen.
I have more thoughts on this but I’ve got to head out. More later.