S.A.D. and tired

11th June 2012

Today was my second day of the 1:1 programme and I have to admit that it was a struggle to get out of bed. Due to the crappy weather, my Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) is affecting me again and I am feeling really tired in the mornings: almost as if I have had no sleep, even though I have slept like a log...not that logs sleep (that saying has always puzzled me). I actually slept through 5 minutes of my alarm.

I also couldn't find my running kit and kind of hoped that I had put it in the washing machine and it was so wet that I couldn't possibly go out for a run. It wasn't. It was dry and waiting to be washed. I figured that I would wake up properly later and of course, the best course of treatment for S.A.D. involves exercise, in order to get those lovely little endorphin and serotonin buddies pumping through my blood stream.

I have to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect today due to the weather. I knew that the river had burst its banks over the weekend but I was unsure as to whether or not the path would be underwater. Even if it wasn't. there may have been so much debris that the path was unpassable. Apart from being a little muddy, it was fine. There was also a light rain but I figured that with my jacket and cap, I probably wouldn't even notice it which turned out to be true. It's a shame that the flood hadn't washed away all of the dog shit though.

I checked Google Maps yesterday in order to find out how far I would have to run in order to cover 5k. It turns out that I am covering half of that distance on my runs, which of course, makes me feel even more anxious. I honestly don't know if I'll be able to jog around the Race for Life course but I'm still determined to put in the work in order to give it a really good go. I have so far raised £100 and I am determined to do my best.

The 1:1 ratio does seem to be working. It is hard work but I wasn't as stiff this morning and I warmed up after about 4 runs. I had been feeling really tired on Friday (so much so, that I had to have a half-hour nap when I came back). It did occur to me later that maybe I needed to take on some energy so I did some carb-loading in the form of beef lasagne with garlic bread and later, chip shop chips and baked beans. I felt so much better over the weekend so I guess that it was just what I needed.  The runs were good and I kept a consistent pace, whilst checking my form and technique at the same time. I remembered to hold in my abs and to 'lift' myself out of my hips which is starting to become a subconscious habit. I didn't quite cover the distance that I wanted and I did stop a few times before the end so I'm looking forward to Wednesday. I plan to increase my distance by 10% every couple of runs and hopefully that'll help me cover more distance and be able to actually jog much further without needing a break. I need to remember that consistency and determination are key but so is being realistic. If I try and vamp up the distance too fast, I could very well injure myself and/or cause my muscles to atrophy. I need to remember that I am carrying extra weight and to listen to what my body is telling me. Although I am still anxious about Race for Life. I'm considering adding a fourth run at the weekend so that I can see how far I can jog in one go. That way I can accurately track my progress and hopefully build up my endurance that little bit more. I think that I'll speak to my sister about it and gain some perspective.