SHUTTING IT DOWN 2020 STYLE

Last time I ran the 8k!

So, I officially changed my Shamrock Entry from the 15k to the 8k. I probably should have done the 5k, but that started at 8:00am, while the 8k starts at 10:20... anyways, 8k it is! I actually ran the 8k back in 2017 with Brandon when I was first getting treated for my psoriatic arthritis. I was very out of shape and hadn't ran five miles consecutively in a long time, but I was able to jog the whole thing at a 10:21 pace. Anyways, this time around I don't figure to be much faster, but I should still be able to set a PR. Silver lining!

Basically my run this weekend, six miles like the previous two weekends, did not go better than they had been. My watch said 3.5 days of recovery, which was not an improvement. My legs felt worn down toward the end of the run. My heart rate was once again way too high for the pace I was running. Same shit, different day. Nothing has fundamentally changed since the symptoms started. My plan to run "lightly" has not resulted in me getting better. I've only been running twice a week, ten miles total... but I guess that's too much. My calves are SORE today. From a six mile run at 10:30! The hell!

I've determined, even if it sounds ridiculous, I caused some major damage in my muscles with my Miami/Zena back to back combo. Basically my legs are were they are at after a marathon. If I try to run through it, things don't get better. I need to take time off and allow them to heal. I keep re-damaging them on these short, light jogs. Which is just ridiculous. I mean, come on. But my body has spoken. I don't know if my disease or my medication makes me heal slower than the average person, but whatever it is, I have to listen to my body, ridiculous as it may sound.

It's just very frustrating. I believe I was in 1:44 half marathon shape before Miami. I had done the best I had done in a long time at staying trained through the winter. I felt strong. The hope was to continue to get faster this late winter and spring so I could start my marathon training ahead of where I was last year. I had no idea a hilly 15k race would completely fuck my shit up. But whatever, it did. And I think I'm going to have to take two weeks off to allow my body to catch back up.

Ugh. So annoying! I am going to be running the Pittsburgh Half in early May and I was hoping to get a sub 1:45 there. That's not happening. I'll be lucky to get under two hours at this rate. This break is really going to put me behind the 8-ball. I've essentially been spinning my wheels for a month, and now I'm going to take two weeks off. You can't do jack shit for six weeks and not lose a bunch of fitness. So yeah.

Anyways the plan is to run the 8k on Sunday and then shut it down for two weeks. Gah.