Train Smarter...

... not harder.

While I have not been successful with all of my long runs, I have been getting out and running almost every day. This tactic worked initially to get me into the level of fitness I needed to be in before starting my more intense training for longer runs. However now that I'm attempting multiple 6+ mile runs in a week it is starting to wear me out. What's more annoying is that I'm also starting to get low-back pain, hip pain, and ankle pain. Stupid joints.

So, it's time to train smarter which means that this week I'm changing tactics. Instead of running every day, I'm running every other day with my off days being 'active rest' days. What's an active rest day? It's a day where I still do stuff but I don't run. For example, today I'm going to go swim some laps at the pool then climb at the gym for a while. Hopefully this will help me stay in peak physical condition, while also allowing my body to recover from my harder running work outs. Oh, and yeah, I'm actually going to start eating healthy again.

In addition to all that, I'm re-introducing yoga into my life. Right now I'll probably just do yoga as part of my cool downs after a run, but it may become an every day thing depending on how the low-back-pain situation progresses. Of all my recreational activities, I'm pretty sure yoga is the only one that hasn't led to a sprain or a concussion...

Hopefully this training change will set me up for success this Saturday when I attempt my next 10 mile run, which may or may not happen at Lake Lurleen depending on if I can find somebody to go with me or get snake proof running gaiters (so far, I haven't been able to find those. Snake proof gaiters, yes. And running gaiters, yes. But not the two types in one product...).

Whatever happens, I'll be hitting the road after my run to go climbing up at Sandrock for the weekend! Woohoo!