I can’t really call the effects of a day trip to the Midwest “jet lag” but the following itinerary would seemingly have some negative impact on a planned mini-long run the next day: (1) 4:35am wake up preceded by less than 4 hours of very poor sleep, (2) jumping on a 6:10am flight, (3) back-to-back-to-back meetings, and (4) hopping back on a return flight.
I didn’t make this revelation until around mile 3 of today’s mini-LR. There were no obvious signs of either being slightly off my game or overall sluggishness. It was just a feeling of “man, I am working a little to hard. This is supposed to be easier.” I continued to feel that way until mile 7 when either my body shook off the effects of yesterday or I stopped thinking about it. More than likely, it was a combination.
I’m slightly annoyed as the temps were definitely favorable for a stellar run … sunny, 42* but there was still a chill in the air. I harbored foolish hope that with the “warm” temps, the snow and ice would melt away allowing me to run on the dirt paths. While some melting did occur, we have a long way to go before the paths are in running condition. Bummer. Therefore, more asphalt.
The back half of today’s run felt better than the first … it always seems that way. I kept a relatively even range of pace. Results: 12.01 miles @ 9:13. I’ve had better and worse mini-LRs. I anticipated my dissatisfaction with today’s run and decided to add a mile to the Last Mile Party. It’s remarkable how finishing strong improves your mood. “Strong” is a relative term here. It means I ran the last 2 miles at goal marathon pace (8:00) to get in some additional mental conditioning.
I know not every run can be great, but it still doesn’t make it any easier to swallow.