Rest for the Weary

I used to have a lot of trouble dealing with "rest" days. Not the traditional runner problem of not taking enough rest days. Quite the opposite. When it comes to rest days historically my biggest problem is taking too many. I didn't understand how they incorporated into my program and my training. I'd work and work and then feel worn out and then skip a workout. I tricked myself into thinking these were "rest" days. On the other hand there were weeks where I would complete the workouts and feel like superman, so I'd spend my rest day on the treadmill or the elliptical. It was a vicious cycle that I couldn't seem to break. Especially once law school butted into my life, the cycle became part of the routine.

But not anymore!

Today is an official "rest" day on my new plan and  I've managed to actually take the rest. It couldn't have come at a better time either. After my run yesterday my knee started getting pretty tight and is swelling a little bit. I'm slightly frustrated since it hadn't swollen or hurt at all in the last two weeks during all of my intense cross-training. I've got some ice on it now and we'll see in the morning.

The day wasn't all restful, however. I had to give an Oral Argument for my seminar class. I'm not really a hugely competitive person on the track or in the gym. It was definitely one of my biggest weaknesses when I played organized sports, but regardless, competitive edge is something I've always lacked. I'm learning though, and being in the courtroom definitely requires a certain killer mentality. Luckily, I've developed that instinct and have been able to apply it to my running. In fact, I have almost the same warm-up routine for both races and arguments!

Don't let the suit fool you...killer

Tomorrow starts another week - one I'm hoping will bring awesome workouts and fewer opportunities to exploit "rest".