Day 250 - Reduced Expectations

At the beginning of April when I really started feeling like my running was getting a lot better, I had such high expectations. I figured I'd run 3-4 miles twice during the week and on the weekends I'd run a longer run 5-7 miles and a shorter 2 mile run. I was heading that way, too. I ran 5 miles twice feeling like I could go more and I ran 6 miles once and still felt like I could go more. Then spring summer hit and I've been miserable ever since.

I'm a pretty fair skinned person and I've always been really worn down by heat. I also have a higher than normal temperature. Three weeks ago that 6 miles felt awesome and Saturday 4 miles felt like a death march. At 8:30 in the morning, it was already wicked hot and the sun was out in it's full glory. I've already lamented about running in the heat and had grand plans to get up early in the morning before work but quite frankly, I haven't and I don't want to. To me that's too big of a sacrifice because I sleep so terribly anyway.

Back to the reduced expectations. This summer I'm really not going to place any expectations on myself when it comes to running. My only goals are going to be running 3 times a week and running by what I feel like I can do that day dependent on the temperature. I feel kinda crappy about that because I was making so much progress as far as distance and the time I could run without stopping. I have to remind myself this isn't just about summer but the rest of my life. This summer I'll tone it down a little bit and hopefully pick it up going into late September and October. Me running more now and pushing myself when I don't feel like I should isn't good for me and I realize that.

I'm just going to continue to focus on my trip to healthy and use running as a tool. Frankly I was never running to lose weight, it was a wonderful side effect, but because it looked like fun. I have really come to love running and I want to do it for a long time. Therefore, I don't feel like running less now is a sacrifice.

*disclosure - this post was a pep talk to myself and a kick in the ass not to feel guilty about reigning it in. I hope I remember this in the coming weeks when it hits 90* and above and I feel like a loser for not being able to run more than a couple miles at once or at all.


Workout:
rest day

Breakfast: Oats
oats, peanut butter, honey, banana
429 cal, 19 fat, 77 carb, 13 protein, 10 fiber

Lunch: Salad, Refried Beans, Grapefruit (gross lunch)
iceberg, carrot, radish, peas, surimi, greek feta dressing
refried beans, salas
reese piece eggs from easter
468 cal, 15 fat, 64 carb, 23 protein, 15 fiber

Dinner: Squash, Egg Burrito
zucchini, yellow squash, corn cob
eggs, mayo, whole wheat tortilla
477 cal, 20 fat, 56 carb, 21 protein, 10 fiber

Snack:
.5 grapefruit, .5 larabar
132 cal, 4 fat, 23 carb, 3 protein, 3 fiber

Total:
1,506 cal, 58 fat, 220 carb, 59 protein, 38 fiber
Goal:
1,600-1,850 cal, 34-70 fat, 172-306 carb, 60-164 protein, 25-35 fiber

53% carbs, 32% fat, 15% protein