Indulge me for a second, will ya?

Most days, I am up by 5 a.m. I stumble outta bed, let WD (wonder dog) out to pee while I empty the dishwasher. Then I put on my shoes and head down to the mill for a couple-a-three miles. I would much rather run outside, but I prefer to run in the morning and right now, its dark as shit at 5:15. I get off the mill and stretch out. Recently, WD has started to howl at me when I finish running while I stretch. Not sure about that… I am sure, however that I hate to stretch. I’m not naturally bendy. Tall women are usually not. I have to work at it. I do yoga to try and help me. I suck. It’s the only gym class I’ve ever not been good at. It is typically easy for me to skip my stretch as time is valuable, but I am becoming increasingly aware that it will be what keeps me from hurting myself again. I have blown both hips out. The first time, I was rehabbing it for almost a year and a half. I was told I wouldn’t run again. I certainly don’t run nearly as well as I once did (hell, I don’t walk as well), but I am running. That is the hip with the Rosie the Riveter tattoo. The second time, it wasn’t as bad, I had a good doctor and while my miles are still low, I’m getting in 8 miles or so a week and so I am back to trying to build my base.
Last week I took a day off because my calf (on the side where I have PF) was so tight I couldn’t flex it. More stretching. Some icing. By yesterday, after an hour of walking with WD and a 2 mile shortie run, it felt pretty ok. My hip however, is sore.
I asked TB if I should take the day off.
I didn’t ask because I needed permission or he knows any more about running than I do. I checked with him, because I worry about using excuses and slacking. Don’t get me wrong. I love to run. I love how it makes me feel, the time being sweaty and physical. I love what I know it is doing for my body. How my doctors comment on my low heart rate. However, its hard damn work.
My mileage is not so much hard. Yet. 2 miles is easy. 10….much harder. But the getting up at 5 to run, then walking WD for an hour, doing chores and THEN leaving for work…only to come home, like I did yesterday, walk WD some more, and trim the hell out of my holly bushes out front. That’s another story, folks. That is difficult, sometimes.
And as tired as I am now….once those Saturday runs get up around ten miles or so, I’m wondering where the energy will come from.
But at the same time, I tend to over do. I’m not some exercise junkie gym whore, don’t get me wrong. I would describe my life as active, however. I’ve been in rehab a million times for hips, PF, etc. If I can physically do something at the time, I tend to think, “what the hell…go for it” And then something hurts. So I spend a lot of time wondering… am I slacking or being smart? And really, I don’t know.
What I do know is that I’ve decided to move from my 5 day training program to every other day for the month of September. I’ll still try to increase my mileage (beginning tomorrow with a 3 mile LR….yeah, I said long run and 3 miles n the same sentence…buzzoffaboutitimbuilding….). Come October, I’ll re evaluate. Until then, I’ll continue to increase my stretching time and my other cross training to make the rest of me stronger (cuz I don’t enjoy my current HM2PT- half marathon to physical therapy- training plan).
I don’t usually write about my running (um, because what’s funny, touching, thought provoking about my thick ass jiggling its way around my neighborhood for several miles?). But I am still concerned about the possibility of me being a slacker. And writing what I’m doing makes it feel more like a plan (not a slack). And that makes me feel better.
And since blogs really are some self indulgent little interweb suckers, it feels appropriate.