On hitting a wall

Guys, I’m getting very tired. I’ve been running regularly for the past year and a half, and I’ve been training for this half marathon (running 6 days a week instead of 4, with cross training and strength training and long runs one day per week) since January. I’m now to the point where I just don’t know how to increase my energy level.

I mean, I’ve been through the body changes by now. My chest shrank about a cup size and my waist is smaller for sure, but my butt and quads are a bit larger. This was difficult to deal with until I saw my reflection while running — it’s worth it, then, to see what your body looks like in motion. It’s beautiful, really. 

I’ve never been a morning person, though. Never. So I found myself working a full day then having to train on the treadmill all winter. Everyday. Not being able to take a day off, really, or feeling insanely guilty for cheating. 

My actually long run days, luckily, started up as soon as the weather broke (kind of) in Denver. It started with 6 miles at the end of February, and now it’s up to 9 miles and soon 10 and 11. Race day is about 5 and a half weeks away. I’ve been watching my protein intake, drinking water, stretching, getting physical therapy massages every month as a check up and a treat, sleeping, not drinking heavily … and it’s just. getting. exhausting.

Nick (my massage therapist) asked what other races I would run after the half. I have a 10k at the end of May, then I’m doing the running leg of a triathlon relay at the end of June. But after that? I’m kind of just looking forward to running for fun again. This constant training, the pressure to continue, the fatigue … it’s draining. You give up time and even rearrange how you socialize and factor in time to run or crosstrain. You can’t decide to take a week off. You have to monitor your muscles, though, too, because there’s risk of injury always poking you on the shoulder like “hey, I’d just love to ruin all your work.”

Though now I can run outside after work (daylight!), and that helps, I still can’t shake feeling depleted. I guess I’m wondering if any of you have had weeks like this — where your muscles were tight and they were sore, or where yes, it’s nice to see your training pay off when you can run for an hour and a half without dying, for instance, but it’s also nice to get drunk on a Friday night and sing Karaoke and then sleep in forever the next day.

What do you all think? Has anyone else had to train for a long race in the winter and felt treadmill burn out? How did you get out of the rut?

**For the record, I have not given up and I continue to run and follow my schedule. I’ll run my 9 miles this Saturday and it will be in the mid-60s and I’ll get that weird high and feel happy and sleep in on Sunday. But Wednesday afternoon? In the office? Thinking about how I have to run instead of nap when I get home? Shudder. Every now and then it just kind of sucks, you know?

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