August's Arrival

July was an incredible new record for me in running – I finally broke a 50 mile month! I’m so impressed with this feat. I seriously ran nearly half the days, and I also had cross training and strength training workouts sprinkled throughout. I finished June with 40 miles (13.1 thanks to the Scorcher Half marathon, prior to starting training). The closest I’d ever come before on my own was about 31 miles. So, 50 miles is a pretty big deal!

I was excited and also fearful for August’s arrival. You see, July didn’t really go out the way I was hoping... A few weeks ago, I ran with a trial shoe from Saucony at a Pack Pint Run (a run hosted by our local running store). Although I’ve been fitted for a stability shoe, Saucony had run out of their stability shoes for our testing, so I just took a neutral pair thinking, “it’s only three miles!” Boy, was I wrong. My legs really were aching and my calves were knotting up. For the next few days (which I guess has been weeks now!) I’ve been dealing with calf cramping and shin splint pain. The big concern is that years and years ago after, frankly, 4 years of issues with shin splits, I found out that I’d had a stress fracture in my leg. By the time I found out, it was already healing on its own, so I just let it be.

Fast forward now, the pain I am/was feeling in my leg was in similar areas to where my stress fracture had been. My coach gave me some great advice, and I am working on taking care of myself. No need to train the days away only to walk away in a cast or boot! I’ve been stretching and foam rolling more (I mean, to be honest, doing it at all is “more” – oops!), wearing KT Tape, watching my footing/the slope of the surfaces I’m on, and I just got new insoles for my shoes. So I promise, I am trying.

But another real concern of mine was how exhausted I am and how I (somewhat from my own fault and a bit of circumstance) missed or partially completed my final three workouts of the month. One was because I didn’t leave early enough but also had an upset stomach on my run; my cross training workout was one I didn’t want to wake up for, but thunder and lightning in the morning played a huge part in me totally skipping it – to then have plans with a friend all night for his last night in Oklahoma; and lastly, I started a run, realized it was too hot, and got myself on a treadmill to only run out of time there too due to plans! Ugh.

Most of these were totally avoidable if I had only taken the time to plan my life out a bit more. I hope to do that for the month of August as things will get a bit crazy with school going back into session!

So, yesterday, August 1^st and a Monday to boot! I knew I had to get a workout in because you “never miss a Monday!” I didn’t wake up early and run – EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE TIME! Starting myself off on the wrong foot. Then I got home from work and had to wait around for it to cool down enough to run. I left around 8:15 and had mentally prepared for this to be the worst. run. ever. Turns out – having low expectations was a really good thing! I changed the settings on my watch so I can’t see my pace, I think that was one thing. The other thing was a new course – I was on the trail a bit and when it got too dark, I jumped off and ran on the road, which I rarely do here. Finally, I just enjoyed the settings around me – like how I couldn’t hear my watch beeping because the earth was loud with cicadas and the wind would rustle through my hair… It ended up being a wonderful run. I’m hoping it sets the tone for all of August, because it would be delightful if that were the case.