Declared Rest Day

Okay, I hereby declare today a rest day. Not because it’s Saturday, but because I’m genuinely surprised by how sore I am. My quads, hamstrings, and even my calves have all joined in on a collective whining session.

Taking notes on the track 

And here’s the surprising part: it wasn’t caused by running alone. Nope. It was caused by - brace yourself - I’m saying the G word, which I’ve been avoiding like the plague - the gym.

Over the last six months (okay… maybe more), I got a little carried away with just running and quietly neglected strength training, drills, and cross-training. It’s easy to do when it’s just you, your running buddies, and a trusty pair of shoes. (I’ll never forget that agonizing 10-mile loop last spring - huge thanks to Rod for pacing me from mile three-ish onward after I foolishly tried to hang with Mike and lost him two miles in.)

So yesterday, I temporarily parted ways with my running shoes and reintroduced myself to my longtime gym. Some famous athlete-turned-personal-trainer (name escapes me) once said: Choose a gym close to you, because you’ll actually go. So true. Unfortunately, the gym I committed to is about 25–30 minutes away. My runner logic says: Why sit that long when you could squeeze in a 5K? And yes, my friends will confirm - I do not sit still well. 😆

That said, when I realized my mile pace had slowed to about 9:30 per mile, nearly a full minute off my half-marathon PR pacing, I was, to put it mildly, horrified. I also finally admitted something I’d been avoiding: I hadn’t touched a treadmill, leg press, heavy free weights, or even a group exercise class since August 2016. Eight months ago.

Back in September and October, I raced four weekends in a row - 10K, 5K, half marathon, and 10 miler - and felt great. I even set a PR in the 10 miler. Then the holidays arrived… and I settled in too. Hard.

Suddenly I was sitting. Mostly sitting. Catching up with people over long meals, because, let’s be honest, runners are always saying things like, “Sorry, 8 p.m. is too late, I have to wake up at 3 a.m. for a race.” It felt nice to sit. One dessert turned into another. 

 

This is still healthy, right? Because it is a rainbow of colours.

Through all of this, I still ran for fun. I didn’t race in December, but I made sure I got my outdoor time. I kept things together enough to run a couple of January 5Ks and squeak in under 30 minutes - barely. That’s the sneaky thing about fitness: it can slip away without you noticing… if you never test it.

My times crept up - 30 seconds, then 50, then 60. I blamed sleep, reduced mileage, and the occasional late-night large meals (we’ve all been there). After all, I was still running! Mini miles count!

But when I found myself feeling winded near the 30-minute mark in 5Ks, knowing my PR is 27:11 on a true 3.1-mile course, I thought, Huh. That’s weird.

So… back to the gym. Time to rebuild some strength. Time to show up again. See if they bought new equipment. Or moved anything. Since it was such a drive, I committed to staying one full hour - a massive commitment for someone who prefers running and calling it a day.

I decided on a circuit-style workout: drills, weights, and a little jogging (because I couldn’t help myself). About 20 minutes in, I wanted to quit. I was breathing louder than the music blasting through the speakers. But I stuck it out for the full hour, wondering how I used to do this weekly, in a group class, no less.

And now… today.

I am feeling it.

The foam roller is my best friend. So are turmeric, avocados, and all the anti-inflammatory foods. And honestly? This feels like the perfect day to sit, recover, and blog.

Rest day officially approved.