Hal Higdon's Plan Continues

Cross Train Day is now my favorite day of the training plan. It also happens to fall on Sunday, which is also the day I go to worship. I think I finally did everything right, this past Sunday, eating-wise, sleeping-wise, and stretching-wise, because afterwards, I felt this deep sense of peace and by the time I got to church, I couldn't stop smiling. My health bar was full.

But that isn't to say that it has always been that way. I seem to have just as many struggles with my energy levels as triumphs. Thankfully, I'm taking my vitamins regularly now. And thankfully, my "slight" anemia (as my Dr. calls it) is usually subdued by my iron supplements. My remaining lack in energy may or may not be stemming from lack of sleep. I'm still trying to figure that out.

But back to Cross Train Day, I've determined that cycling is a good time to be had! This week, I rode my roadster down to the yoga studio, did some light yoga, then peddled home. It was 10 miles, roundtrip, in the Texas heat, so that was satisfying to my sweat glands. My bag I was using to cart my yoga stuff broke during all that, but I fixed it. I made it better.

My least favorite day of the training plan, Hal Higdon, is the day before...which is Long Run Day. I attempted 8 miles this past Saturday and though that is how far I went, I did not run it all. I walked at least a mile or so of it. I don't know if that's good. Hal doesn't say. The training plan I'm following (of his) says it's to prepare to you finish a marathon, not win it, and that walking while getting water is encouraged. What about walking when the humidity is at 70%, the locusts screech their chilling serenade, and the sun bears down on your shoulders like a blanket just out of the dryer? Hal doesn't mention those scenarios, but that little goal-oriented conscious of mine simply replies, "Excuses, excuses."