I am starting to think it’s not the heat and humidity that is causing me to feel so sluggish on my runs. I’m sore and achy all the time and even a short 3 or 4 mile feels overwhelmingly hard lately. Funny that I was sad for half a second that I didn’t put a full marathon on my calendar this year. Smart Sally! I can’t even get through half marathon training.
I got in a 9 miler on Sunday and it was brutal.
I tried to run 9 miles at an 11 min pace to acknowledge the 15th anniversary of 9/11. I just couldn’t keep up that pace. But as I do (more than just on 9/11) I think of that day and those tragic events and remember seeing the second plane hit with my own two eyes from the bus I was commuting in on. I was running about 15 minutes late that day saving me from being in the World Trade Center that morning where I would grab the subway uptown to my office.
I felt like my legs were just saying “FU Sally”. I took walk breaks, mostly during the uphill portions but overall the run felt painful, slow and I couldn’t wait to be done just to move forward and forget it.
I didn’t feel like carrying my handheld water bottle because it was too much of a commitment so I took a small disposable bottle and stashed a second one in the wheel well of Mr. SOTSS’ truck figuring I’d run two loops and could grab it on the second loop. And boy am I glad I did because I needed those fluids.
16 oz of liquid heaven
Today I ran a little over 4 miles and while the humidity was down and the temps were in the mid 70s I still struggled. My mojo just seems to be gone. I can’t remember the last time I felt zippy or energized during a run.
I just want to feel some endorphins again
I have been walking a whole lot since returning to freelance life and I’m wondering if my legs are just tired because I’m walking so much. I have been walking about 6-8 miles a day.
As seen on one of my walks
My partner in crime for most of my walks
Ironically this afternoon my Garmin Vivofit seems to have died….well, the screen anyway. It’s still tracking data but the screen is blank. 
It syncs, so I can see my data on my phone. I replaced the batteries recently so I’m not sure what happened. Perhaps it’s a good thing. I think I need a break from it. It’s like when I did the Weight Watchers Points program a decade ago. I was about 10 pounds lighter than I am now but I became so consumed with my points….food points, activity points….I wasn’t listening to my body but rather working the numbers. It was exhausting! I’m going to try and take it easy over the next few day and see if I can get some mojo back before the weekend.
In other news, last Thursday Mr. SOTSS had to work late. Thursdays are usually our date night and I had even cooked dinner. I made a Taco Braid! It was really good. Basically taco seasoned ground beef and cheese inside of pizza dough. So I dined alone chilled out with the pooches instead. I was disappointed that our date night got squashed but he made it up to me already and really, his job comes first. You see, I can be a mature, understanding adult every now and again 😉
Chester tried to give me his best “please share” look but I held strong. Cheers!
When is Mr. SOTSS getting home
Let’s hope this weekend I find my mojo!
Maybe the walking and the runs together is a bit much for now? I would stick to the runs though; as crappy as they rate, things will very soon fall into place. And starting from scracth/a break is always SO much harder. Duncan is adorable btw and I don’t know how you didn’t give in to Chester’s face!!
Yeah, I took it easy today. Very little walking. I’ll see how I feel in the morning. I know Chester does do a stellar job. His eyes!
I bet the walking could be part of it – since going back to work (with kindergarten kids) I’m on my feet all day and my training paces have taken a huge nosedive (along with my will to run another marathon – thank heavens it is taper time). I would stick with it but just lower your expectations and take plenty of walk breaks as you need them!
Oh, and wore a fit bit for almost 2 years but it died in May when I got caught running in torrential rain. I decided to take a break and not replace it, and have loved being without it – I suddenly realized that being an already active person it wasn’t adding anything to my life health or fitness wise ( other than causing me to occasionally run in place at 10pm when I didn’t hit my daily step goal 😉 ).
Exactly! Running in place at 10pm to hit a step goal is totally defeating the purpose of being “healthy”. Thanks for the comment. 🙂
As a Philly girl, we’re practically neighbors and I concur about being tired of the heat and humidity. Fall is coming!
Regarding your tiredness, are you taking iron? I felt the same as you described about a month ago, then my coach pointed out the possibility of being iron-deficient (More than 56+ of even casual distance runners are!). Food….er, minerals for thought in this post from RC: https://runnersconnect.net/running-nutrition-articles/iron-deficiency-in-runners/
Thanks so much for the link. All the sweat that’s poured out of me over the last few months….hmmm…
That’s weird that the Vivofit is still tracking data but seems dead. I hope you can get it fixed!
Sorry to hear you’re having a string of crappy runs! The heat and humid has been bothering me all summer, and nowe ragweed pollen is high down here in Atlanta. I went to the allergist because I was having serious issues breathing (more in my lungs) on my runs, he prescribed me an inhaler to use before runs and it helped so much! I hope you figure it out soon.
Oh that too! Allergies! Glad you’re getting relief with the inhaler.