Before I forget the winners of the Milestone Pod giveaway are Ariana Martinez and Carla Shiver. Congrats ladies! Email me at saralovingontherun{at}gmail{dot}com and I will get them on the way to you!

 

Remember in yesterday’s post when I talked about how I am getting acclimated to the Virginia humidity?

Monday morning my husband and I headed out to the track to get in a workout. I was bound and determined to get back on my training plan after my week of moving.

Morning Run

We had scoped out the track the night before to make sure we could find one that had access to the public. It wasn’t quite as fancy as what we were used to in Erie, but we knew it would be perfect for what we needed!

We got up a little bit later, which was our first mistake. After a week of getting up super early we felt like we needed one morning where we slept in without an alarm. We still were up by 8:00, but that was a little too late to get moving for a workout like I had planned.

My original workout called for:

2 mile warm up
7 x 400 (with 400 recovery)
6 minute recovery
7 x 400 (with 400 recovery)
2 mile cool down

I immediately decided to shorten my warm up and cool down because that mileage was a little too high with what I am comfortable with at this point.

 

The heat and humidity were already pretty high when I began, but we had a little cloud coverage so I was hoping that would make it bearable. After 2-3 400’s I was already struggling.

There is a difference in training between tired and being at your limit. I finished the first set of 7. I took a break, got some water, and then did the 6 minute designated cool down. I was getting ready to start the next set of 7 and I was exhausted. I was already dizzy from the heat and began the first of 400 of set 2.

 

After about 1 minute in I knew that I was done. I kept reminding myself two very important things:

1. One workout isn’t going to break you. Sure, it would have been better had I gotten the entire workout completed, but it wasn’t worth it.

2. Heat builds up on you. I could have easily pushed through and finished it. I would have been exhausted, but that wouldn’t have been the end of it. The wear and tear that heat has on your body can build. I knew I have a workout today and several more runs throughout the week. Why would I push myself and risk a complete burn out by the end of the week?

3 Easy Miles

We ended up leaving the track and going to scope out a local trail that ran by the river. It was beautiful and I ran for another slow 30 minutes before calling it a day.

 

In running we have to know our limits just like with anything. We have to know when to push our bodies and when to say “that’s enough.”  There are many quotes and people that will tell you to always try to push past you limits. Sure, I agree that at times we need to push ourselves but we have to have a point where we realize we are only doing harm to our bodies. Those are the limits I am referring to.

It was a bummer, but I know in the long run it will pay off! I know there are many more great and fully completed workouts in my future!

Keep Going

Not sure this quote entirely applies, but I saw it the other day and loved it. Things happen, bad days happen, just pick yourself up and move right along!

 

Have you ever had to cut a workout short?

Do you know what your “running limits” are?.

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