Confessions of a Nighttime Runner

Yesterday (Sunday) I woke up feeling energized and grateful. Grateful for a day to stay home with my kids (a rarity because of working two jobs), and I had made plans to go on a long run to support Stacey at Stacey Runs and Eats on Facebook who was doing a 50K and running in memory of the lives lost in Connecticut on Friday. I planned my day around my kids and my long run and was excited at the prospect of going out running with no predetermined time or mileage. And then, everything that could happen in a day happened: leaking roof at my house, leaking pipes in my kitchen, and car breaking down. As the day wore on and I made trip after trip to the local home improvement store, I began to get concerned that this run would never happen. Multiple times as I stood in line at the home improvement store, I kept looking at my watch and telling myself that even if it got dark and no matter how late it got, I would still go run. As the afternoon wore into the evening and it got later and later, my mood did not improve I am ashamed to say. It was finally 9PM when I finally strapped on my head lamp and started out on my run and I was not in a good place. I was tired and cranky. I was in a bad mood because the day had not gone as I had planned. And so I began this run slightly annoyed with the day and the amount of money I had had to shell out for the house and car repairs. And so began my thoughts... It wasn't until I reached about mile 2 that I acknowledged that I had let the events of the day dictate how I would react and that the whole point of the run was to honor and celebrate the lives that were lost in Connecticut on Friday. Feelings of guilt seeped in as I realized that I here I was, complaining about my problems when there were parents who would never hug their children again. Never again be able to tell them they loved them. Never see them smile again. Never watch them grow up.

 Somehow, as each mile wore on and I stopped focusing on my own problems and instead began to pray for people that I didn’t even know, my worries seemed to lift and my anger at my own situation began to dissipate. As I remembered each child, parent and teacher in that tragedy, the gravity of my own situation seemed to dim in comparison to what the family of the victims were dealing with. With each prayer came gratitude for being able to run, hug my children, smile, teach my students, and even live in a house with a leaky roof that was costing me money I didn’t have. Yes, it is possible to be thankful for a leaky roof.

As I ran each mile, my thankfulness increased. They weren’t the best miles, but they were GOOD miles.  Necessary miles. Thoughtful miles. Angry miles. Repentant miles. Grateful miles. Pretty much in that order.  Running through the dark streets of my neighborhood instead of the trail I had originally planned on running earlier that day, I saw the houses lit up with Christmas lights and Christmas trees shining through the windows with brightly colored ornaments and it made me grateful to be able to run even if it was at night. Lately I have had to do a lot more night running which has never been one of my favorite things to do, especially in the winter and doing so has moved me out of my comfort zone. Being out there on the streets with just my headlamp and a couple of streetlights made me grateful that I was even able to run at all. I made peace with a lot of things last night, including running at night and in the cold. Sometimes we need to be moved out of our own comfort zone where everything feels safe and comfortable as this propels us towards new horizons that we may never have known otherwise. On those horizons we often encounter parts of ourselves that we may never even knew existed. Running will do that to you if you stick with it long enough.

Peace my running friends. Tomorrow is a brand new day, one in which you get to choose how you live it. I pray you too seek out new horizons as you move beyond your comfort zone and find the peace you seek.

 

 

Bulldogs Need Their Rest Too

 

WARNING: This post is going to be about REST and could potentially be VERY LONG. :) Keep scrolling if you are against both. I won't hold it against you. :)

I have been called a "bulldog" at various times in my life. I've always taken it as a compliment, even when it was meant as an insult. It's true though. Once I decide to do something, I finish it or die trying. I don't quit. It's just not in me to quit. Once I decide on a goal, I focus and put all of my energy into accomplishing what I have set out to do. Whether I am digging trenches in my yard to put in my own sprinkler system, finishing up my degrees in college, training for a marathon or preparing for a Spartan Beast, I will give it 100% every time.

That said, being a "bulldog" can often lead to not having much balance, and over the course of my life I have struggled to find that "perfect balance" between "living life" and "accomplishing my goals." Basically, I don't have much down time, as I am usually focused on accomplishing the "next goal." Granted, there is nothing wrong with having goals and setting reasonable timelines to accomplish them, but so often those of us that train and race for different events can often become so consumed with our training, that we forget that at some point our bodies need to rest. Sure, I sleep at night and get my 6, 7 or 8 hours (if I'm lucky) of sleep. But as runners, it is so hard for us to just STOP and take a day off. An ENTIRE DAY. Maybe even two days. God forbid!! The guilt sets in. You begin to feel "flabby." You think your body might "forget" the training you've done and you'll have to start all over etc. Worse yet, is the day you're taking a DAY OFF and you happen to drive by someone who is running. You can't take it! You want to go home, change and go run. Tell me it isn't so.

I've been in this situation more times than I can count and despite learning something from each of the times that I was finally "forced" to rest, I still play the little mind games with myself. "Rest is bad." "Nooo, rest is GOOD." And I bet if you're like me (and I’m guessing that a good majority of you are), your body is finally the one that says: STOP! because it simply cannot go on any longer; because it refuses to go on and perform the way you want it to. So your runs begin to “suck” and yet you push on, determined to run/train every day. And then the aches set in, or your runs aren’t as enjoyable or worse yet, you get injured.

Why is it so hard for us to REST? Because as RUNNERS we are determined individuals. We persevere.  We are BULLDOGS. Once we establish that goal in our mind we set forth to accomplish it no matter what.  Sometimes at the cost of our own bodies. Or our sanity.

Lately I’ve been training and racing like crazy amidst a VERY busy work schedule and home life, and yet I just keep pushing myself. Racking up the miles, jotting down my times and tracking the upcoming races. I’ve been feeling tired and my body has been nudging me to rest and yet I have quietly whispered: “Just a few more days and I’ll take a day or two off.” And I keep going until finally my body says: ENOUGH! and I am forced to take a rest day or two because my body is simply DONE. It’s not a very difficult concept to understand but I know there are many of us who struggle with taking days off. If you have reached that level in your training where you no longer struggle with this, my hat is off to you. However, I would venture to guess that there are many of you out there who were “forced” to take a rest day this week when you would have rather not and you beat yourself up about it. You felt like a “failure.”

Ha! First, you’re not a failure, and secondly, you’re not alone. We condemn ourselves despite all the miles we log and the hours we train because there is always one more hill to conquer, one more road to pound, one more trail to discover. Why must we be so hard on ourselves? The determination and the perseverance often outweigh the "logic" behind a good 'ol rest day and so we push on. Another mile. Another hill. Just one more training run.

I’ll end with this. My body said enough about four days ago and yet I kept at it and even went out and ran 13 miles. I finished, but it wasn’t a very strong run. I struggled the entire time. I had neglected once again to listen to my body and simply take a day or two off knowing full well that I would come back stronger and more mentally aware. Yes, we are stubborn that way. As runners we often think we are invincible, but we know full well that we are not.

Today at work I lagged and was not performing at my peak. I knew it was time. Time to give in and rest. I’ve been running, doing Crossfit, training for Spartan and still keeping up with work and family and I am run down. So as I drove home from work today I decided to give in and give my body the rest it needs. For me, it’s never easy to do that. I literally have to be at the point of crashing before I will give in and rest. So I showered, put sweats on, made myself and the kids some yummy food and decided to blog about running.  Well if I can’t run, I can at least blog about it right?


Happy trails runner peeps and take a rest day every now and then.

- Runnerchik

Missing my Runs

I hit Day 45 today in the 60-Day Bikram Yoga Challenge. I have to say that my balance, core, posture and strength have improved DRAMATICALLY. It simply amazes me how we can transform our bodies with just a little dose of determination and persistence. It certainly pays off! Postures that I was previsouly having issues with are now some of my favorite postures. Namely TRIANGLE, which previously always seemed to knock me to my knees and I'd end up sitting out the during the second rep. Not anymore!! My hamstrings have become incredibly stronger as have my hips, quads and glutes;and my flexibility has improved quite a bit. I cannot wait to see the results at the end of the 60 days. My daughter is doing the challenge along with me and is doing fantastic despite this being her first challenge. She's already lost 10 LBS and has gained a TON of flexibility. All this yoga has also done wonders for my running as a way of cross-training and building stamina.

Both of us however, have been craving a nice long run and we are looking forward to getting back to our running routine, so last Sunday I hooked up with my Commando Weeples Team from the Ragnar Relay we're running in September and ran a 10K in Concord put on by RoadRunner Sports. Simply AMAZING! I started out a bit stiff from not running for over a week and half, but surprisingly I felt light on my feet after about the second mile. Best 10K I've done in a LONG time! Finished in 1:02 and felt AMAZING!!!


Commando Weeples Team

 As soon as theYoga Challenge is over, the official training for Ragnar and Tough Mudder will begin. I see RUNNING in my future. :)

Have you gone for a run lately?

Ragnar Relay - 2012

Ragnar Relay is coming up on September 14-15, 2012 and I've got exactly 3 months to train. While I am not fearing the miles, I am a little anxious about the night running and how I will feel sleeping and eating in a van with a bunch of other runners. It's not being in the van that concerns me, it's more the night running and how I will feel about running different legs of the 200-mile race after potentially not getting enough sleep. However, I have ALWAYS wanted to run a Ragnar for as long as I can remember so it was an honor to be invited to be a part of this team. There is no way that my fears or anxieties will keep me away from this race. I know it will be an experience of a lifetime... As soon as my Bikram Yoga Challenge is over I will start training for Ragnar. :) I would appreciate tips from anyone who has done a Ragnar before. :)

Have you gone for a run lately? :)



From Runnerchik to Yogachik - Conquering Triangle

Ha! TWO posts in the SAME month?!!? Runnerchik must have some extra time on her hands...

Summer school can be a killer but the good part is I only work Monday - Thursday instead of Monday - Friday. Loving my Fridays OFF! So I thought I would do some catching up (the story of my life) on what's been going on.

My daughter and I are still doing our Bikram Yoga Challenge at http://www.bikramyogastockton.com/ and loving every minute of it. OK. Maybe not every minute but almost every minute. :) Some days are very hectic because of school (I'm teaching and she's taking college classes) and then of course there is life to handle and take care of. I miss logging my miles but with teaching and doing yoga for 1.5 hours every day, there is not much time left in the schedule. We take each day and handle it as it comes, keeping the goal in mind. I am so very proud of my daughter for committing to this challenge and not giving up. Her determination to do this reminds me of her determination to train and run CIM (http://www.runcim.org/) last December. This girl is going to do just fine. I am so proud of the young woman she has become and I cannot wait to see the things she will accomplish in her life. Even with the challenges that come up throughout the week, we both have managed to keep up with the rigorous schedule of taking a 1.5 hour Bikram class 6 days a week.

The physical and mental changes that have occurred in just 30 days have been fantastic! Stephanie's back bends are phenomenal and my right hamstring is getting better everyday. Several poses I could not do previously, I can now do and HOLD for the full required minute. My balance and flexibility has improved and so has my strength, which have helped improve my running. One of the MOST challenging poses for me has always been triangle, precisely because of my torn hamstring. Sometimes it felt like running made it worse and then sometimes when I would do yoga consistently it felt like I was tearing it even more. I have always backed off a little each time that happened and that way have always been able to continue doing what I love: working out. This time around even though it still hurt, I kept at it. Somewhere along the line it just stopped hurting and I was able to do both sets of TRIANGLE without coming out. Feeling like a ROCKSTAR!! I have to say TRIANGLE POSE ROCKS!!

33 days down and 27 more days to go in the Bikram Yoga Challenge and then I will be training for Tough Mudder (http://www.toughmudder.com/) and Ragnar Relay (http://www.ragnarrelay.com/) both happening in the month of September and two weeks apart. Ha! We'll see how this Runnerchik survives... LOTS of running coming up in my schedule as soon as I finish the yoga challenge.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the summer and my H O T Yoga. :) It's going to be 93 degrees today and 104 degrees tomorrow. Can't wait! These are the days to train life a fiend, mow lawns, and then lounge by the pool. All of these are on my To-Do-List....

I'm thinking of skipping yoga tonight and going for a run instead. This means I'll have to do double classes to catch, but I think it just might be worth it.... more on that later. :)

Have you gone for a run lately?

Life on the mat

On May 13, 2012 my daughter and I started our 60-Day Bikram Yoga Challenge at Bikram Yoga Stockton. My third. Her first. It's called a "challenge" for a reason. It's not for the faint of heart. You have to be truly committed and determined to finish otherwise it just won't happen. One could say the same thing about running, but the cool thing about running is that I can almost run when I want to. There is no scheduled class that I have to be at. No doors that will be locked if I get there late. If work has been hectic and there is a TON of stuff to do when I get home, I can always run at night. Even if it means wearing the ugly reflective vest and the "miner's headlamp." Ha! Not the case with Bikram yoga. Classes are only held at certain times so you're either there or you're not. You're either meeting the challenge or you're not. This is often a bit too structured for most people.

In order to complete the 60-Day challenge, the yogi must take a minimum of six classes per week. One a day, or you can double up if you miss a day. In order for this to happen, one must schedule one's day around the classes available. This means an hour and a half per class, plus the driving time (30 minutes round trip for me) which adds up to two hours of my time every day. Not an easy task when you're working full time and caring for your kids etc. Everything from laundry to meals has to be scheduled so we can get it all done. It's exhausting and exhilarating all at the same time, however the mental and physical changes that go on during a challenge are astounding and are the reasons I keep showing up on the mat. There are days that I feel the same way I do when I hit the proverbial "wall" in a marathon: "Why am I doing this?!?" "Why did I sign up for this?!?" "Would the instructor just shut up already?!?"

And then there are days when I feel like a million bucks! "I'm a rock star for completing this challenge." There are days I manage to do EVERY posture without taking a break and I  feel like I could do yoga forever. This week I did double classes twice to make up for days I had to miss and I felt empowered. Three hours of yoga a day?!? Yeah! I rocked it! Kinda like running. The days when I feel so light on my feet that I feel as though I could run forever. I love days like that! The valleys and the mountaintops...you can't have one without the other.

Despite being very different, yoga and running have a lot in common. Namely, structure, commitment, endurance, determination, and integrity.The structure part of it is obvious as yoga requires structure in order for there to be any real change in ones body and running requires structure in order for one to improve one's pace etc. Commitment and endurance are also required as both sports demand a real commitment in order to see improvement in the postures/pace and endurance if one is to finish strong in either sport. The determination in both these sports is what allows one to reach the finish line. That "bulldog determination" where one refuses to give up no matter what the obstacles are and the joy that comes from the challenge.

I've often said that I could go into the Bikram yoga studio and simply "go through the motions" of doing the postures without any real integrity and still get credit for the class and tell myself that "at least I went to class." The same could be said about running. I go out on my runs and I am accountable to no one but myself. I push myself as much or as little as I want to or feel like. I could tell myself: "Well, at least I got out there." The instructor in the yoga studio may or may not notice that I am not pushing myself as hard and I can also "fake it" to a certain point to make it seem like I am exerting all my energy. The point is, I either have the integrity to do all the postures and to push myself to my limit or I don't. I either have the determination to stick to the plan or I don't. No one can give that to me or do it for me. Only I know what my limit is. Likewise, only YOU know what your limit is. I can feel my body telling me to run just a little faster or to push a little harder on that hill and it is up to me to listen to that voice or ignore and it. I can feel the muscles on the back of my legs begin to engage to give me the strength to hold the posture in yoga for one full minute without falling out. I KNOW when I can give just a little bit more and I also KNOW when giving just a bit more will make the difference between an OK run and a GREAT run and an OK Bikram class and a class where I kicked butt and my body knows it. There is something to be said for the integrity in that. I would venture to say that most non-runners simply do not get it. And that's OK.

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about this topic and I commented about the amount of miles he was putting in and the time spent doing it. I said to him that to most non-runners, people like us simply DO NOT HAVE A LIFE. Ha! At least it appears that way. In fact, we DO have a life, it's just different. It simply revolves around running. I often schedule my runs at the beginning of the week and for sure before I go to bed at night so I know what workout I'll be doing the next day. I guess that's too structured for most people and perhaps it is, but my runs/workouts would never happen unless I schedule them that way. I have found that most people who "talk about working out" but never end up doing anything or start and then quit, usually give up because they don't want to live such a structured life. With jobs, kids, errands, bills, friends, relationships, appointments, church and whatever else takes up your time, how do you fit in a workout everyday? Life is busy and its crazy that taking care of one's body is usually at the bottom of the "to do list." It takes determination, structure, commitment and integrity, with a little bit of endurance thrown in. :) Whether you're hitting the mat or the pavement, you need a little of each.

Namaste.

Sleep? What's that?

I started this blog back in '07 because a friend encouraged me to write as a way to communicate with others who share similar interests and also as a way to keep writing; something I love but don't find time to do. Part of my frustration back in '07 was that I was recently divorced and busier than ever. When I had been been married I was always busy but now as a divorced woman, working two jobs and raising two girls, the word "busy" took on a whole new meaning. There were days I felt I had to schedule my potty breaks. I know there are many of you out there in similar situations, who have equally, or quite possibly even more demanding schedules. This blog was intended to share my struggles with being a single working mom, a graduate student and a runner and perhaps find ways to "make it all work," despite the demands that were placed upon me. However, this blog itself is proof that there is simply NEVER enough time, as I rarely post.

I am a perfectionist by nature. Type A personality all the way. Work is what I do. I often wonder what it would be like to be more laid back and sit and read a book while the dishes are piled in the sink, and the laundry sits undone. My kids will tell you I don't rest until it's all done. The problem is that it is rarely ever ALL done. There is always something to do. As I have grown older I have tried to find balance, in fact if there is anything I have strived for in life it was to find balance in all that I do. From exercise, to work, to eating habits etc. Extremes in anything rarely pay off. But that work mode, that drive to get it ALL done, has been hard to curb (I blame my Dad for that. Darn his work ethic that rubbed off on me). And because now I am the only adult in the house I have what I call the "mom duties" AND the "dad duties." Sometimes, I'm mopping floors or baking banana bread, nursing sick kids and doing girl stuff but other days I am mowing lawns, cutting down trees, fixing leaking pipes or cleaning out the gutters. It just comes with the territory of being a single mom. And so comes that battle to find the balance. The search for extra time in the day to get it all done. And then there's the ME TIME. How and when do I find time to run? Better yet, when is it OK to call it a day and just sleep?

I titled today's post: "Sleep? What's that?" because in many ways I feel like I have been trying to sleep since I was 17 when I got my first job. Since then, it seems that sleep has been something that eludes me. There are days where I feel like the only time I will ever get to sleep is when I'm ill or when I'm dead. As parents, we know that with the birth of one's children sleep is something you will probably never do again, at least not until they're out of the house and by then, your body has gotten so used to living on such little sleep that you just automatically get up early. Ha! And so goes life right?

Today is the last day of my Spring Break. It has been a good week off and I've accomplished quite a bit. Not as much as I would have liked, but enough to feel somewhat productive. I told the girls last night that I was going to "sleep in" on Friday morning, my last day of Spring Break. With my oldest being 18, I am now afforded the privilege of having her drive my youngest to school sometimes. So, despite the fact that my To Do List is as big as ever, I told myself to take a day and sleep. A gift to myself if you will. A way to find that "balance." And so I went to bed at a decent time on Thursday night and relished in the fact that I was going to just sleep and sleep until my body had had enough. I have never had a hard time falling asleep and it was no different last night. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out. The girls came in the morning before they left for school and kissed me goodbye. I felt a little guilty actually, but I just laid there and sleep overcame me again and I slept. I could hear the rain hitting the skylight and I wrapped the blankets closer around me until the jolt of the phone awakened me and my youngest's voice said: "Mom, can you come get me? I don't feel well." She'd been at school for maybe an hour. Sleep? Who needs it?

Vanessa on our 22-mile training run last December. She rode her bike while we ran and carried extra water for us.

And so it goes folks. I sit here writing this blog as my daughter is sleeping in her bed nursing a sick tummy, my dishes are piled in the sink, I have a stack of papers to grade, laundry waiting to be washed and folded, gutters that need to be cleaned after yesterday's storm and I'm thankful. Thankful that God saw fit to fill my body with energy and a stubbornness that just won't quit. Yes, I often do not get enough sleep and because I am a working mom, I don't get to go on all the field trips or soccer games or see my daughters perform in all their plays and choir performances and sometimes I have to have my oldest take my youngest to her doctor appointments because I've used up all my sick days. And on those days I often feel guilty. Guilty that I am not able to be supermom and do it ALL. It's life though. And it's a good life and I have to acknowledge the fact that I am not supermom and it's OK to take off the cape. I often wish that I could have been a stay-at-home mom and enjoyed all those moments with my girls. Each of us is dealt a hand of cards when we are born. We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just the way we play the hand.  

And so I'm thankful. Thankful that I am strong and have two jobs that supply for our needs. Thankful that I have the energy to run when times allows it. Thankful that I have two wonderful girls who are growing up to be beautiful, strong, independent young women. Thankful that I was home today when that phone call came through and that sweet little voice at the other end of the line said: "Mom? Can you come get me? I don't feel well."

"I'll be right there babe."

These are the cards that I was dealt and I will play them to the best of my ability and maybe, if there's still time, I'll go for a run.

www.facebook.com/lifeinthedayofarunner

Love/hate ralationship with "rest days"

I've worked out non-stop for over a week now with no rest day. Not smart. I know this, but I don't follow my own advice out of an incessant need to exercise my body to its limits. Well, now I'm paying for it. I went out Thursday night after work and went for a six-mile run after doing 6 days non-stop of yoga, even though my body was craving rest. On a couple of days last week, I actually ran AND did yoga. My body was begging for rest. So much so, that my run sucked that night. I simply had no energy. My legs felt like lead. But we've all had days like that though right? Days where you're just not "feeling it." As athletes, we learn to ignore those kinds feelings and to push through it because we know that we will feel better on the other side of that workout.Those feelings are usually temporary and are quite often replaced with a huge high following the workout.

So after my run Thursday night, I just crashed. I fell into a deep coma-like sleep already feeling pain in my joints and muscles. So on Friday (Good Friday no less) I ended up having a forced rest day if you will, and on the first day of my vacation. Body was happy. Brain was not. My brain usually wins so I gave in to the body this time. Actually I had no choice. I've had this happen before, where I will go for days and days and sometimes weeks with no rest day and eventually my body just says: "That's it. We're done." Mentally and physically I was done. I couldn't have worked out even if you were paying me to do so. I simply had no energy to speak of. You'd think I'd know this by now right? Perhaps I was waiting for a sign that my body needed rest?

Every athlete knows that rest days are essential to good training; no less important than proper hydration and eating habits. However, I know I'm not the only athlete out there that struggles to take a break from training. There is this incessant desire to run, to feel the wind in my face and the adrenaline begin to flow, to push one's body just a little further. It's a drug all of it's own and when we don't get our drug, we often get cranky.

I practice Bikram yoga on the days when I am not running, as a way to cross train and because it provides such a thorough workout in only an hour and a half. The stretching alone does wonders for my running. For those familiar with Bikram yoga, you know it is an intense hour and half. It is definitely not a workout for the faint of heart (aka WIMPS). I've seen body builders nearly pass out from exhaustion halfway though the workout. There are twenty-six postures that make up the Bikram series and once we reach the floor series, we practice savasana (dead body pose) in between each posture. Each savasana lasts for about 30 seconds and one is supposed to lay there completely motionless as the sweat drip/rolls off your body. No scratching, wiping or moving allowed. Just REST. This rest allows one's body to return to normal breathing and for the blood flow to return to normal after the constricting poses. To quote Bikram Choudhury (founder of Bikram Yoga): "This asana is important because it allows tensed muscles to relax and blood to flow equally to all parts of the body." It's essentially a healing that is taking place. I'll admit that savasana is often one of the hardest poses to practice because one must be completely STILL. Being still is not always easy. Trust me, it looks easier than it is. It is welcoming at first but with the adrenaline that is flowing through one's body, it is only natural to want to get up and continue on with the strenuous activity of burning fat, stretching or what ever else you may be striving for. Simply put, the body needs rest. And I'll admit, I'm not good at it.

So, after pushing myself this last week and on my first day of spring break, I end up in bed because my body was screaming for rest. My body didn't give me much choice. I spent the next 24 hours in bed attempting to regain my strength. Tired muscles, arthritis flare-up and lack of hunger is what I ended up with.

Of course for the first couple of hours, I laid there complaining in my head about the workout I had planned and was now not going to do. I was going to hit up the yoga studio at 9 am,(something I never get to do in the AM because of work) and then later that afternoon I was going for a 5 or 6 mile run. 2 workouts in one day on my first day of vacation. I was psyched. WAS being the key word there. My body had a very different idea of how I was going to spend that first day of vacation. I proceeded to lay in bed for the next 24 hours nursing my aching joints and muscles and attempting to eat despite the fact that everything made me want to puke.

Twenty-four hours later, I feel much better. Not 100%, but better. Whatever was ailing me is slowly going away and I am beginning to feel a bit more "normal" (I know, I know, for the average person I am not normal because of my insane workout schedule but this is MY normal). So, I'm taking the rest of vacation day #2 to catch up on light housekeeping duties, grade tons of college papers and then quite possibly hit the yoga studio at 3 this afternoon. Have I learned my lesson? Probably not. It's my personality. I push everything to its limits. But, I certainly am going to pay more attention to the little signs my body gives me and not let my brain win this game every time.