Sometimes the most difficult thing about the journey to being fit is the struggle between my internal desire to go out and be active and my body signaling me that it needs a break.
Today, because I am simply too ambitious, I was registered to do a mud run at 10 am. Before that, because Z is still in the MEPs challenge (I got knocked out of the running last week, in case you weren’t following along on twitter), we were going to go the gym for at least part of today’s K-4 Cardio class so that he could get some MEPs in on this last day of this week’s challenge. And tonight, we are registered for a 5k zombie run for the Queen Creek School system.
Unfortunately, before the sun was even peeking over the horizon, I woke with a headache. And because I didn’t want the dogs to get all riled up and start making noise for their breakfast, I just laid there in bed, trying to find a comfortable position that might take the stress off my neck and help the headache go away. But instead, it just progressed further into a full-blown migraine. On top of this, my upper back, shoulders and neck, as well as my calves, shins and ankles, are sore from the circuit workout we did at Kosama yesterday, where we did a bunch of upper body work (chest press, rows, shoulder push-ups, kettlebell overhead press) and sprints (in shoes that have most definitely worn out and should not be worn again!).
So I finally conceded; I got out of bed, grabbed some migraine meds and a couple ice packs and buried myself in bed. And I felt bad about it; because now there is a mud run that I spent good money on that I won’t be participating in. And the amount of activity I would have done today has been cut down, meaning slower progress.
When you are being kind to your body, and working as hard as I have been lately, you should never feel guilty about giving your body the rest it is begging for. But I do anyway. I feel like I am letting myself down. I feel like I am throwing money away. But I still have a headache, and I’m still not learning the lesson.
Listen to your body. You only get one. You can push it to it’s limits, but you have to know that IT, not YOU, know what it’s limits are. And when your body asks you to stay in bed a little bit longer, or to pass on a workout, or to give up a race, you tell it, “thanks body. sorry I have been pushing you so hard lately. you deserve a break“. Then go eat a healthy meal and get over it.
Besides, there’s always tonight’s 5k.
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