I've been taking it easy since my last half. Although I ran 4 easy miles the very next day, I decided to take some time off and skipped running for 5 whole days! My hips were feeling a little "old and creaky". I did walk my dogs one evening about 3 miles. I take these mini breaks several times a year hoping that I am not forced to take The Big One. I'd like to think I'm older and wiser and have learned my lesson. {Um...yeah, let's go with that.}
Speaking of the dogs, we finally got around to using the Wisdom Panel DNA kits my kids received for Christmas. We adopted both of our mixed breeds (aka mutts) from the humane shelter in 2008 and 2009. The kits required us to swab their cheeks two different times and return both samples. We should know what breeds are in their lineage in a couple of weeks.
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| Mini and Mojo love to walk! |
On the sixth day, I ran. It wasn't pretty. I ran 7 slow miles in the warm, mid-day muggy, overcast gloom of Saturday. I also developed a nice little side stitch at mile 5 to finish with. I'm not going to lie, it was tough. But, I had some new tunes on my iPod Shuffle and that always seems to help me push through it.
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| I can't run without this! |
The rest of the day was spent working in the yard, buying a new dishwasher (I've been dragging my feet for months on this!) shopping for groceries, and cooking Shrimp and Cheese Grits for supper. My husband and I watched Gone Girl that evening. Was she messed up, or what? I did not read the book and had no idea what to expect.
Sunday was TAX PREPARATION DAY {Blech}. Appropriately, it was gloomy and rained most all day. I got another 5 mile run in and thankfully it wasn't nearly as tough. I did a few other chores and cooked a Boston Butt in the crock pot.
This was a quiet, race-free, catch-up kind of weekend, which I desperately needed as my running schedule will be crazy again soon enough. I know there were many races this weekend and I can't wait to read all of the recaps!
Does anyone else take mini breaks?
Any other loyal iPod Shufflers out there?
Please visit my friend Tara who hosts the Weekend Update over @ Running N Reading!
I'll be taking a week off after my goal race this spring. I agree that it's better to schedule breaks then be forced to take one due to injury. That's really cool about the dog DNA kit! I read Gone Girl but haven't seen the movie yet.
ReplyDeleteI'll probably take another, possibly longer, break before starting marathon training this summer. I'm sure I'll need it! I can't wait to see what my dogs really are!
DeleteI end of taking a pseudo break during the winter because it's often too icy or sub zero temps on my planned run days (in the Midwest we change seasons daily) so instead of running 3-4 times/week it can sometimes be more like 1-2. Which is frustrating when I *need* to run, but the extra sleep makes up for it! The doggy DNA kit is so cool!!
ReplyDeleteI totally get that "need" to run! I can't wait to see what my dogs really are. Probably nothing close to what I think!
DeleteI used to use my shuffle all the time. I loved it because it was so small. Now I just take my iPhone. Yes, I take breaks all the time. I usually don't run 2 days in a row. It has kept me healthy and injury-free.
ReplyDeleteMy iPhone feels so heavy, so I've stuck with my shuffle all these years. I love that it is the size of a stamp! I've had a rule for years to never run a 4th day in a row...3 is my max.
DeleteShrimp and cheese grits?!? Yes, please! That sounds so delicious, as does the crock pot pork roast - yum. I need a snack - ha! Gone Girl was definitely crazy; I read the book, so I knew what was going to happen, yet I was still completely drawn in again. The Wisdom Panel DNA kits sound SO cool! I can't wait to hear what you find out! Thanks so much for linking up with the blog today; hope your Monday is going well.
ReplyDeleteWhen that movie was over, my husband and I looked at each other and said "well, she won!" Whack job. I can't to get the DNA results. I'll probably be very surprised. Have a wonderful week!
DeleteThank you for adopting your dogs from a shelter! I used to volunteer at the Anti Cruelty Society in Chicago, and there are SO MANY pets in need of good homes. How exciting that you'll know your dogs lineage soon - that is going to be super interesting!
ReplyDeleteShrimp and cheese grits... YUM. Glad you got a new dishwasher. New appliances are definitely one of those things that it's easy to drag your feet on because it requires so much time, effort, and money.
Kudos to you for getting your taxes done! My husband and I are still dragging our feet on doing those. Sigh!
If I could, I would adopt ALL the dogs from the shelter. These two run our household. I seriously want a third. I have been washing dishes by hand for months...probably NOT helping my tennis elbow.
DeleteI think after all the races you did, your body needed the mini break!
ReplyDeleteWe know our bodies best, and if we listen to them I truly believe we can have long lasting running lives!
So I didn't read Gone Girl, because every patron at the library who read it and loved to be annoyed by her in it, told me the ending (the drawback of working PT in a library everyone just assumes you've already read it.) So I skipped reading it and watched the movie, even though I knew what was going to happen I still was a little shocked by how evil she was. By the end I didn't know who I disliked more, her and her evil or the idiot husband who didn't just cut his loses and rid himself of her:)
Yeah, I think I needed a little break. In Gone Girl, she definitely won! I hated he stayed with her. He was so repulsed that I have to assume he will snap and kill her after the baby is born. HA. I like to make up alternate endings...
DeleteI always take a break after races, but particularly after a marathon, My coach tells me 14 days of no running and I always adhere to that schedule. I can cross train after a couple days, but honestly, I have no problem with a break. I know the elite Kenyan runners take a month off twice a year and look how well they run!
ReplyDeleteBodies need time to recover and for a lot of people (myself included) it's one of the hardest things to do. I hope to be marathon training this summer and plan a longer break before I get started with that!
DeleteWe just need to view mini breaks as good for us, whether they are planned or unplanned. She was evil and he stayed...argh!
ReplyDeleteFellow iPod shuffler here! I can't stand running with anything big. I know all the cool kids just use their phone and strap it to their arm, but no thanks.
ReplyDeleteI did the DNA panel on my critters last summer too! http://herbieontherun.com/2014/08/26/who-dat-doggy-daddy/
My iPhone is too big and heavy to run with...especially when I'm used to running with a light, stamp-sized shuffle. I may have gotten the Wisdom Panel idea from you last year! I wasn't sure where I had read about it, but thought my kids would get a kick out of it. I'm glad to know you were happy with your results.
DeleteI think your mini breaks are so smart! We shouldn't beat ourselves in to the ground!
ReplyDeleteWe saw that movie and hadn't read the book either. W. T. H. LOL!
I'm trying to learn not to be so rough on myself.
DeleteI can't believe he stayed. My alternate ending is that he kills her once the baby is born.
You don't want to take "the big break", trust me! I'm working my way back but I'll still take days off for some extra rest. I might do that next weekend to get some extra errands done.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I've had a few of those big ones too. It is not fun!
DeleteYes, I do take mini breaks every now and then but usually only when I am having a pain of some sort. I was a true ipod shuffler until just recently I found I could transfer my songs to my new phone so now I listen on my phone. I did read the book but haven't seen the movie. In fact, before I read this post I forgot the movie was out! I want to see it. I did enjoy the book. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteMy phone is too heavy so I prefer the shuffle. I had no clue what the movie was even about. So, the whole movie was a surprise. She was bonkers.
DeleteGone Girl Gone....that BI was CRAZY!!!! but wasn't he too? CRAZY but good movie!
ReplyDeleteMy knees are wearng down....seeing the dr-hoping to not have to take too much of a break....Cherry Blossom in 3 weeks.
I have problems with my knee from time to time. It is the IT band and if I foam roll religiously, I'm pretty good. Hope you get good news from the doc!
DeleteMini breaks are good. I took a maxi-break from running in the fall (but I did a lot of cycling, swimming and yoga) so when I was mentally ready to jump back in I could really do it. Love Gone Girl. I read the book and was pretty impressed with the movie adaptation. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteI plan to take a larger one before marathon training starts this summer. In addition to healing the body, it helps me gain some perspective too. That movie was - WOW. I had no clue what it was about so I was shocked.
Deletemini breaks are important! some planned and some unplanned- like mine! It is all good, it makes us stronger in the long run! I still have to do the taxes- kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteUgh. The taxes. Never fun but at least done!
DeleteGreat job taking a break! Sometimes it's hard for me, but I know the body needs it. I have yet to read or watch Gone Girl but it's on my list of to do's. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI think it's THE hardest thing even though we know it does us good.
DeleteDNA kit for dogs oh wow I've never heard of this. It would be really neat though, can't wait to hear back from yours. Some of my best dogs ever have been "mutt dogs". If you don't take breaks, your body will make you take them....fact! I'm thinking I'm gonna slow down on the 13.1milers.....thinking anyway. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to see what they really are. I suspect what one parent is for each of them but don't really know. Yeah, I don't enjoy those mandatory breaks either. It will soon be too warm around here for 13.1 races anyway, so a good time for a break. I hope you are better!
Deletei def recommend you read gone girl. the book is SO good. i liked the movie, but the book...wow!
ReplyDeleteThat's almost always the case. You get all the great details from a book that a movie can't show.
DeleteI haven't read or watched the movie yet. I think I will start with the book first.
ReplyDeleteNow I want to read the book to get all the details.
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