May 25, 2009 - emotional stress

it's amazing how negative emotional stress can take its toll on a run or a swim. i don't like to divulge too much into my personal life on here, but i am fresh off a break up from a romantic relationship that lasted 3.5 months, and this has really shaken me up.

apparently one of the most common causes for lower back pain is emotional stress, and i was vicitimized big time this morning. a couple of extra strength robaxacet seemed to help that out, but i was generally sluggish all day. i was not really feeling well for most of yesterday too either, (except for the morning where i somehow managed to block out all my problems and focus in on a great half marathon).

an early morning run over to the doctors didn't go too badly, but the run over to the pool was tough, and swimming seemed to be impossible.. i know i am fresh off a very aggressive run but this has never affected my ability to swim the next day (as i hope to be able to prove in july when i swim my first ever official swim event at the World Outgames just 24 hours after running a marathon).

anyway, home i went for a rest for about 5 hours, but then i got antsy and decided i needed to get out of the house again.. always wanna try to keep busy when a relationship ends so you don't let your emotions take over.. i found myself trying to do speed laps around the pond, but they were more like slow-motion laps. oh well, at least i got in a good 40 minutes of running that under other circumstances, i probably wouldn't have done. 11.2k of running today in total plus a 1.5k swim. not bad considering i logged 31.1k yesterday, and not bad considering all i have been through this weekend..

i should probably give myself some rest and recovery time given my recent hectic running schedule, but that just doesn't seem to be the way i do things.. it's full steam ahead with the next phase of my life.. i want to get myself into the best possible shape i can be for July 26 in Denmark. this is a very important marathon, perhaps the most important one i will ever run!

anyway, miserable weather tomorrow so i'm thinking i will give the pool another go, hopefully a longer and better swim than today..

Jennifer