(Another (Down)) Week in Review

60 miles
2 doubles
1 day off
3 days of sales meeting
2 days of moving

Generally, the purpose of my "week in review" post is to summarize all the great training that took place throughout the previous week and look ahead to the even greater training that lies on the horizon for the week ahead. Unfortunately, I can say that this won't be one of those posts. It is with a heavy heart that I report this to have been a "two small limping steps forward, one uncomfortable step back" sort of week. My foot, though no worse, is not entirely better; and, worse, the inevitable compensation process induced by such a condition has made my right shin and calf throb to an almost unbearable level. While I'm the first to acknowledge that running and training isn't always midgets and sunshine, I can honestly say that I usually enjoy and look forward to lacing 'em up and heading out the door once or twice per day. Not so as of late. The discomfort-bordering-on-pain wracking both sides of my body has caused me to dwell on every single stride, analyzing my progress (or lack thereof) on literally a step-by-step basis. Needless to say, running at a woefully pedestrian pace is requiring far more mental and physical energy than should ever be necessary, leaving me exhausted and drained to a depressing degree at the end of what should have been a banal 60-minute run.

At this point, you might be thinking that I should just give it a rest. Take a break. Stop the insanity and let my body truly recover. As Caitlin said, I won't lose any fitness in a week's time. In theory, I have no problem with that. In truth, I've already taken two weeks more or less off, logging only 2/3 of the quantity and 0/3 of the quality that is expected, required, at this juncture when building up for a big race. I'm still trying to (irrationally?) salvage the hope of a respectable performance at the US Half Champs in two weeks, and whether right or wrong I'm clinging to the belief that shuffling around for even a few miles every day is better than doing nothing. It's almost cruel, this ambiguous state of half-injury in which I find myself. I'm not at the point where running is physically impossible, which would force my hand (foot?). But I'm also not feeling up to doing a stride, much less a workout, and in fact probably haven't dipped below 7-minute pace since the attempted NB Boston 10k over two weeks ago.

As for the upcoming race, setting aside everything outlined above I continue to remain optimistic, even borderline cheerful, despite all physical indications to the contrary. Maybe it's my deep-seeded confidence in the work I've done over the past weeks and months, an entire spring's worth of work that has so far yielded no worthwhile results. Maybe it's the prospect of reuniting with my best friend and training partner, along with several other familiar faces, with the hope of replicating our magical teamwork from the Trials. Maybe it's the rare prospect of approaching a race like a real, actual race participant, not someone who has spent hours and days on my feet selling shoes and then hastily throwing on my racing flats moments before the start, quads already quivering. Likely it's some combination of these. However, the next few days will be telling. If, by midweek, I still find myself lethargic and limpy, it might be prudent to acknowledge that the half-marathon PR of my dreams isn't meant to be right now. 

But, just yet, I refuse to give up.