Day 35: You got it bad

Today's task:  10 miles @ 8:05 min/mile

Today's weather:  31 degrees, cloudy, windy

Today's outcome:  >0.5 miles @15 min/mile 

33.  That's how many miles I've missed due to the Yuck.  I'm having a hard time with that number.  

8.7.  That's how many miles I won't be racing this weekend because I deferred my Virginia is for Lovers entry to next year.  I'm having a hard time with that, as well.

Here's my pep talk to myself.  I set a goal for myself many months ago when I signed up for the Shamrock Marathon.  March 16th is the day with the big red circle around it on the calendar, everything else is just a bonus.  And while I plan to participate in the Virginia is for Lovers race every year, this year's race never had a goal tied to it (with the exception of a vague "I'd love to PR," naturally).  It was something fun to do in the middle of the Shamrock training schedule, nothing more.  We would have missed most of the after party because we'd have to cross the finish line and go right back out and run 5-10 more miles to accomplish what was on our training schedule.  With this race removed from my plate, I have no choice but to keep my eyes on the prize of March 16th.  

9.  That's how many days it's been since Camryn went to school.  

6.  That's how many of those 9 days Camryn had a fever.  

I feel like Camryn and I re-entered society today.  She went back to school for only the third time in the last four weeks, thanks to holidays, snow days, and sick days.  I thought I would feel joyful when I dropped her off, but I just didn't.  First of all, she's been my loyal companion and my main source of entertainment throughout this Yuckiness.  I was really going to miss this face:

Secondly, it is common practice for a lot of the other moms at Camryn's preschool to go straight to the gym after drop off.  Seeing them all in their workout gear this morning was bloody torture.  Here I am, going about my normal routine, yet I'm still not back in my normal routine.  Another runner friend of mine jokingly told me to think of this week as a mid-training taper.  Try as I may, but I find it incredibly irritating that with all of this time off of exercising (it's not just running I've had to skip...I haven't worked out at all in a week), I don't feel the slightest bit rested.  I feel atrophied and off balance, like the slightest push will send me toppling over.  Not a feeling I'm comfortable with.  I walked a few laps around Brynn's school during her Shamrock practice, and I can't say I wasn't relieved when Camryn needed a break.  What have I become???  However...

...today is the first day I can visualize myself running again soon.  It may not be until the weekend, but at least I can picture it now.  I imagine I'll feel much like a baby giraffe, fumbling to find a comfortable stride, but I don't care.  I just can't wait.  Until then, I'll be thinking of my running shoes while Usher's "You Got it Bad" plays in my head (what can I say?  I miss my little buddies).