In your head...mental games

I kind of feel like this is a second date, I have been wondering how long I should wait to write again...didn't want it to be too soon, want to keep it interesting...then I said-whatever...here is entry number two, and who cares if I called too soon ;)

Today marked the third three day weekend in a row for my kids, two of which were caused by snow days that were anything but.  This makes me want to sleep in and eat everything in my house that is not nailed down.  This also makes a treadmill run happen because I stay up too late in the hopes of school closing so my kids can have a down day and I don't want to get up and go in the windy cold and run at 6:30 am.

Yesterday, I did a Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD that was gifted to me by a dear friend who clearly wants me to never walk again.  I am currently training for my second full marathon in April and am running high mileage right now.  I thought, this will be a nice little switch.  I put in the DVD with all four kids and a friend sitting in the room, watching and cheering me on.  It seemed fun and something new and different-I enjoyed it.  Twenty minutes post DVD I could already feel it in my legs.

Today-different story-I am REALLY feeling it in my butt and quads despite participating in a squat challenge for the entire month of January!  Jillian Michaels-you killed me.  My training plan had me at three miles today but I haven't been listening to my training plan so I ran six.  The last mile was really hard for me.  I was not mentally into the run and just wanted it over from .01 of the run, I had a cramp in my side, and my legs were sore.  I told myself more than once, you were only supposed to run three...just stop now.  I didn't - I said that this is the final mile of my marathon-and if I stop I will be beyond disappointed with myself.

I really think running is the most mental thing any one person can do.  It is fully mind over matter. I finished the run...and even ran a little bit of my cool down on the treadmill...and I am not sure why runners do this to themselves on a regular basis.  Tomorrow I hope to hit the dry pavement before the kids get off to school so I don't have to guilt myself onto the treadmill mid morning or late afternoon.  The run stays in your head before it happens and after...and during.  Glad today's is behind me.