Monday, August 10, 2020

Sluggish, But Undeterred

I wake up today tired, but not exhausted, not really knowing how my body will react if I put on my running shoes and head out the door. That's what I must do.  Because, unless I actually do it, I won't know.  The body is funny that way.  I'm still not quite sure how I'll feel once I get moving, but there's only one way to find out. 

There's a level of calm that I awakened with, or, it could still be fatigue.  I won't know until I get going, and even then, I may not know.  I've learned the value of runs over the years with fatigue, and that has served me well during my Ironman races. There's also the matter of my low back, and with that thought, I immediately bring back a memory.  Ironman Chattanooga in 2014.  Three days before the race, the same spot on my back seized up.  It kind of freaked me out.  In fact, I believe that was the first time that spot arose telling me that I had three days to go before race day and that I needed to rest.  I'm not sure that I really needed to know that rest was needed at that point, but it would become a routine for me over the next several years. 

I remember the morning of race day.  My back was much better, but there was still some residual soreness.  I could feel that soreness very slightly all day.  During the bike and run, in particular.  I don't remember feeling it during the swim, my fastest Ironman swim. 52 minutes and change, swimming in a river with a current, but also swimming harder and with greater purpose than I have ever had during an Ironman swim.  I came out of the water feeling great!

I'm sluggish, I still feel some residual soreness in my back, but I'm undeterred. I will run today.

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