To Run or Not to Run

I fell asleep last night with every intention of running, until my alarm went off at 7am, and I remembered that it was bitterly cold out--at least for a teasing March that has already had a few days in the sunny 60s. Hibernation mode kicked in, and I slept another two hours.

I only felt slightly guilty for skipping my run when I left the house, even though I have a half marathon in less than two weeks, for cryin' out loud. But a day off is good for you; it's better to take it in stride (get it?) than to get worked up about a missed workout and feel guilty.

***

I didn't even think of playing hookey again until I got off work at 7pm. It was still light outside, and slightly windy. I was inexplicably inspired by the cool, brisk evening. I took a quick lower loop in the park and retreated back to the gym for bicep, tricep, and core workout. Now my abs and arms feel killer, and my mind is truly at peace with my body.

Tips for Beating Your Inner "Just Don't Do It":

1. Crap happens. The sooner you own this, the better. There will ALWAYS be something that could stand between you and your workout, if you let it. You need to know that.

2. Identify what the sensation is, exactly, that is causing the impasse. Is your body honestly fatigued from stress or the prior day's workout? Is the weather unmotivating you? Do you NEED rest, or are you enjoying being cozy? Are you underfueled (yes, not eating properly can totally kill motivation) or dehydrated? Did you SEVER a limb somehow in your sleep? What the eff is it? Identify it. And then...

3. Categorize your reasons for not working out into two groups: "I can live with that reason" group or the "That is BS and you know it" group. It is important to maintain flexibility between the groups because sometimes your body will mask genuine fatigue with various other excuses (gulp. I said it--the E word). If your reason falls into the first group, and you are not cheating, then by all means, take a load off. If it falls into the second group, well, you may want to do a little more evaluation before playing hookey.

4. Remember this old adage: working out isn't always fun, but no one has ever felt like crap AFTER a workout. One of my instructors in training school told our class once that she actually loathes her workouts sometimes, but she does them anyway knowing the benefits outweigh the un-fun factor. She is right. Sometimes is isn't fun to push your body through pain. That doesn't sound fun at all. But since exercise will always release endorphins, you can never feel worse after a workout. You will always feel stronger, faster, and like you just brought sexy back.

Cheers!