A need for speed....

I signed up last minute for a 5 mile race on Sunday with my local running club.  It was FREE (love that!) to all members so I really had nothing to lose.

I will start off by saying - I did not want to run yesterday.  I did NOT want to run.  I drug my butt out to the race.  I'm not certain why I was so "under"motivated.  Maybe it's because the race didn't start until 10am and by then I was all nice and comfy in my house not wanting to leave.  There's something to be said for getting up and out early.

Anyways....

Let's be real - even though the race was free - the only runners signing up for a run on February 5th are RUNNERS!  As in - seriously - way faster than me - runners. 

As you know - I'm training for a half marathon.  One of my problems with races is that I really am tired after I run them.  I'm honestly not certain why - I think its the mental strain as much as the physical strain because (as noted by my finishing time) I don't really "race" much faster than I train.

I told myself as I was running that I was counting this as my weekly long run and nothing more.  (at the end of the race I ran for another mile to give myself 6 for the long run - which was my target)  I didn't want to push myself because I wanted to make sure I could continue to train according to my schedule for the week. 

I realize at this point a lot of this endless rambling is just nonsense to you so I'll try and make my point.  I ran my 5 mile race in 53:10.  That's almost 2 minutes more than my PR on it - and even though I know I didn't push myself as hard as I could have - I'm disappointed in the time.  It was a really easy course.  NOT TO MENTION there were only about 10 people behind me - out of 120ppl.  WHY am I so slow? 

I know I should train on speed - but I also need to train on endurance.  It doesn't matter how fast I can run a mile if I can't run 13 of them in April.  I know it's a combination and I am doing some speed training - but it seems when I race - my body sets its pace and I -  apparently - haven't found yet the mental strength to push past it. 

PLUS - I'm tired today.  Wiped out- don't want to run and won't so that I can get in a long run on Wednesday before I head out of town on a business trip. 

Not feeling it today .....or feeling too much of it depending on how you look at it....

How do you pick yourself up out of a slump?

Trouble getting motivated

So... my little devil child is still sick. I love her dearly and want more than anything for her to get better....AND I seriously need to get out of this house. Actually - I need to get out of my LIVING room. You know how it is when your kids are sick - you can't really go that far from them. They need you. Well - I am officially sucked dry. Please, please, please dear husband - hurry home!

So..to roll on with the excuses...my eating habits have fallen apart (sorry HBBC), my new half marathon training schedule is already off track and now I'm supposed to be out of town for the next 2.5 days. How am I supposed to get motivated? I seriously want to run out, grab a donut or two and then lounge around (alone in a quiet room) for the rest of the night.

What I will end up doing is trying to figure out what we will have for dinner (especially since my sick one is refusing to come with me to the store), finish the laundry, straighten up this "sick house", pack for my business trip (even though we haven't thoroughly worked out plan "b" if this fever doesn't break and I will have tremendous guilt leaving the house) and climb into bed tonight praying that my husband and I will have the bed to ourselves for the WHOLE night.

Getting back on track isn't going to be easy. I will pack my running clothes and hope that I can press the reset button on Wednesday. (Tuesday is already fully booked and accounted for!)

How do you manage to find time for yourself (and the motivation) when it doesn't seem that there's a minute to spare?