Just Go-Go

Vacation all I ever wanted.  Vacation have to get away...

Gotta love the Go-Gos. But I am quite certain Belinda Carlisle wasn't knee deep in her marathon training when she pened that tune.  Like I said in the previous post, when it comes time for vacay, I am quite lax on the normal routine.  I eat more.  I drink more.  Trans fats ooze out of my pores.  I exercise less. And, usually I don't feel guilty about it one bit.

Fast forward to this vacation. 8 small weeks left until 26.2 and I am on a 2 week excersion to Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, NC (to visit mom) and Connecticut (to celebrate my nana's 80th).  Along with packing my bathing suit and sunscreen, I pack my Garmin, Spibelt, and GUs.  30 miles or so per week, with a long run of 17 and 11 miles thrown in the mix of some short and mid-distance runs. Really?   At home, no problem.  I have my running classes that keep me honest, knocking out the short runs easily.  I actually look forward to the weekly long runs with my girls (whether there is 1 or 5 of us out there).  The mid distance runs are a sunday morning treat where Zach mans the boys solo and I clear my head for an hour or so.

Down here, it's a different story.  Last week at the Beach, I dragged myself out of bed to do my mid-distance (7 miles) and my long run.  Looooonnnnnggggggg.  17 big old miles.  I did (in a freaky sort of way) look forward to it because we did it along the ocean. I ran part of it solo and Zach joined me for the last 11. I wouldn't have done it without him so thanks babe (even though he left me the dust for the last 1/2 mile.  Whatever).

Now, I am at my mom's where I have a full week of runs to accomplish and zero motivation to do ANY of them.  My 8 mile run turned into a 5 1/2 mile run yesterday morning.  This morning I was supposed to do a 4 mile track workout.  The alarm went off on my phone and I chucked it across the room and went back to sleep.  Tomorrow I am supposed to crank out 11 miles.  Hmmm.  We'll see how that rolls.

Instead of the lax vacation attitude, I am totally guilt-ridden that I am missing these training runs.  I know in the grand scheme of things, missing a few runs here and there won't make me crumble at the 20 mile marker in Baltimore in October.  It's like I have the angel and the devil on my shoulder, like the old Tom and Jerry cartoons.  The angel is Hal Hidgon (whose running training program I am following), perched on top of my left shoulder, telling me that every mile counts and to just get out there and do SOMETHING.  And then the devil, is Belinda Carlisle, crooning in my ear "vacation all i ever wanted...." and drinking a big Blue Moon and laughing "maaaawwwhaaaahaaa".

OK.  This morning Hal is winning.  As I type this I am guilted into doing "something".  So the boys and I are strapping on our Saucanys and hitting the track down the street.  I can't promise it's gonna be a quality speed workout or anything...it might only be a few laps.  But at least it's something.