Before my vacation I was struggling with my running.  My ankle was almost healed. I had run the Middletown Half Marathon and the Cheshire Half Marathon but they were out of obligation. I wasn’t feeling the desire to race them. But I did well considering I wasn’t feeling as prepared for them as I thought I should be.  I was happy with my finish times. Especially since they were close to my finish times back in 2012 for my first Cheshire Half and the Middletown Half was similar to my Hamden Hills half marathon finish time. 

I was afraid I was loosing my running mojo. I also noticed that because I wasn’t running as frequently as I should or did in the past that I felt more stressed. Ironically when I was out on my run today I was listening to my favorite podcast, Two Gomers Run For Their Lives, and Stepehen was saying he heard from somewhere that running at least 3 miles a day gives you the endorphins that having a full night of sleep provides you. I believe this to be very true. When I didn’t have the time to get my run done I didn’t feel fresh, my brain was jumbled and I felt fatigued. 

During vacation I wanted to run when it was going to fit into my trip. I didn’t put any pressure on myself to set my alarm and wake up early for a run. I did participate in the Fun Rin during the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration which required an early wake up call. But that was the only time. I woke up one morning during vacation before everyone else so I got dressed and hit the sidewalks around the Polynesian and the Transportation and Ticket Center and some of the road we run on during the runDisney events. It was hot but I enjoyed the run. 

Now that we are home I have gotten in several runs and am feeling better. I am doing the Mystic Half Marathon next weekend with Diana and told her I was happy with our Cheshire Half finish time and don’t want to kill myself with this race which she gratefully agreed.   I got in a 7 mile run today and took it easy and enjoyed it.  The weather was perfect and I didn’t have any pain. The sky was blue, the sun was out and there was a nice canopy of shade on the road. I don’t expect to have a PR for the Mystic Half, but I do want to enjoy the run as I work towards the summer months and start to train again for the Dopey Challenge next January. I don’t want to have training burnout.