This week, I’ve traveled from the warm comfort of the mild Austin winter to the admittedly slightly less mild winter of D.C. (I’m from Chicago,and I stand with Obama on D.C.’s lack of affinity for grace under ice). While I am baffled my the general reaction in regards to such mundane activities as commuting and, you know, walking, I have completely changed what conditions I consider acceptable for running. There’s more to my lack of training this week than just the sheet of ice on the ground, although that is the main hurdle in my figuring out how to redistribute tomorrow’s planned 15 miler.
Being in D.C. this week, mostly for work reasons though staying through the weekend to hang with some friends, has been quite the eye opener. It’s been refreshing, crazy and – surprisingly- somewhat unappealing. Refreshing because it’s been fun to be in the middle of the hustle and bustle and have actual face-to-face conversations with colleagues, crazy because of the hours I’ve been working and somewhat unappealing because of the – to use a phrase from How I Met Your Mother – “revertigo.” Revertigo is, as one would expect, reverting to a past self when you are surrounded by old friends or, in this case, an old environments. Since I’ve been in D.C., I have had more hard liquor (and the week isn’t over) since I’ve moved (only three vodka sodas, but I now realize how icky hard liquor makes me feel). As fun as it is, it’s not a lifestyle I’m comfortable with anymore. For some reason, a glass of wine a week just seems different and healthier. The mozzarella sticks are still a mainstay, though, so obviously their is some relativism here.
This all brings me to my main point and the subject of this blog – the running. After a great start of the week with a 4-mile effort on Tuesday, two days after my half marathon and at 8 p.m. after a hard day of work, I was somewhat derailed. It could be the fact that I’m outside my comfort zone, weather wise and locale. It could be the 13-hour days I’ve been working. It could be a lot of things that I make excuses for. The point is, after a long time of wrestling with weeks like these, it’s just a week. A week cannot make or break any training plan. I’ve experienced a renewed enthusiasm for this since October and one week will not derail it. I won’t let it.
So regardless if I make my 15 miler this weekend in the frigid temps – which sound less and less appealing the more I think about it. Monday (in my world) is a new week. The marathon is still 8 weeks away. Training plans can be modified to fit me, and if it can’t, I’ll go at my own pace.
