When last we spoke...

I'd just returned from a run which culminated in a "sprint" to the head.

That run was hot and difficult, both mentally and physically.  I recovered from the physical difficulties pretty quickly, there were no lingering gastro-intestinal problems, but the mental challenge is being a real bear to get over.  I find myself not wanting to go out and run.

Last week I thought I was back.  I ran Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but for some reason, even though I was in Cuevas, Friday I didn't run.  Nor did I get out Saturday, Sunday or Monday.

Friday was supposed to be an easy recovery day.  I worked with Hugo in the river clearing brush, I suppose that counts as strength work.  Much of the "brush" was actually quite large tree remains left from a flood a couple of years back.  One tree trunk was large enough that Hugo hacked it up with a chainsaw and turned the thing into a 6 foot long bench.  The span which made up the seat was too heavy for me to lift on my own (but not Hugo - dude's a beast).

Saturday was cold.  Actually perfect running weather.  I didn't get out.  My time was restricted by being stuck in a long haul cab for the better part of 2 hours.  Sunday was cold too, but I spent that day wallowing in a bit of a fog.  Saturday night the neighbor across the street (who's known Nataly since she lived here 30 years ago), had a birthday party.  We imbibed.

I've got these excuses, but the truth of the matter is that I could have gotten out and run each and every day I've missed.  Perhaps the quality of the effort may not have been where I wanted it, but still.

Consistency.  That's the key to everything for me.  Goeff Roes on Sunday had a good note about consistency for an ultrarunner.  It gave me something to take heart in, but I expect that the type of consistency needed for ultra running is different than the type of consistency needed for shorter distances like the marathon.  The short race consistency is something I have great trouble finding.

I think next week, starting Monday, I'm going to go out and run 2 hours every day.  That's an amount of time I can usually squeeze in without too much trouble no matter where I am.  I should end up somewhere near 90 miles of running, depending on how much running I do in Santa Cruz.

This week is going to be unstructured.  I'm not going to wear the strap.  I'm just going to run how I feel and try to enjoy being out there.  I'm not going to do any intervals, I'm just going to go out and run.  I'll knock out a 3 hour run either Saturday or Sunday, but that's it no other time or target heart rate zones.

Tomorrow I'm going to Cuevas again to plant potatoes.  A crapload of potatoes.  I expect I'll come back to Santa Cruz on Tuesday.  I wonder how hard the work is going to be.  When I get back I'll post some pictures and video of the land and try to give an idea of what the work is like.  I expect it'll be quite the core workout, we're doing it by hand and we may have more than 2 acres to plant, quite possibly more...

Thanks for reading, and I'll try to stop coming up with excuses.
J