Today was my third opening shift in a row. We had a busy weekend at the store and that, in addition to waking up at 4am were definitely taking their toll. I was tired, but I had a plan. Immediately after work today, I was going to jet out of the parking lot, and head to the Y for my favorite boot camp and abs class lunchtime combo. This morning, I stumbled around the house stuffing workout items in my gym bag and ran out of the house at 4:23am, with work and gym bags in tow and a few minutes to spare.
I got through this morning thanks to continuous coffee refills. I worked through my lunch in order to leave on time. I left, I drove, I parked, got scanned in, got my key, opened my locker, looked in my bag - and saw that I had forgotten my shoes. Doing pushups, jumping jacks, and sprints in Danskos was not a viable option either, so home I went. And here I am.
Am I pissed? Hell yeah. I knew there was a reason my bag felt so light. But after thinking about my mistake for a few minutes, I realized that I wouldn't have made those mistakes had I not been so tired.
Just as I stress the importance of listening to your body during training, listening to your mind is just as crucial. Had I been mentally rested, I would have remembered my shoes. Heck, I would have packed my bag the night before. Being forgetful or distracted is a sign that the mind is fatigued. And, since a large portion of running involves mental focus, it's important to listen to your mind when it tells you that a break is needed.
The best performances come from physical and mental balance, so keep that in mind (ha, ha) the next time you're feeling forgetful during training.
I need this one today! Thanks Laura!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it was helpful for you!
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