and some days you don’t.

The entire workout today was a struggle. Hard from moment one.

It didn’t help that about thirty seconds after I started my warm-up, my ankles both cracked, one after the other. It felt uncomfortable for a few second, then got better. Throughout my whole warm-up, I’d feel different sets of muscles get tight, then loosen up. This is different from my normal warm-up experience, in which I just feel everything start to get easier.

Starting my 4 miles at a 9:15 pace, I was hesitant. The treadmill doesn’t have a 9:15 setting, so I tried to average it out – 1 mile at 9:13, 1 mile at 9:22 (repeat). The first two miles were such a challenge – I was using mental tricks I usually have to use in the last part of my workout – not the first. But I just kept going. Up until 2.75 miles in, I wasn’t sure I could make 4 miles. The gym was so hot, and I just wasn’t feeling it.

Thank goodness for that second wind. I made it through all four miles – and the last was probably the easiest. A .5 mile cool down, and I felt awesome. Mostly because I was just so proud of myself for finishing.

(Synopsis: 1.6 mile warm-up, 4 miles @ about 9:15, .5 mile cool down – total, about 6 miles)

I am also immensely thankful that tomorrow is a scheduled swim day. And I’m considering switching my easy Thursday workout and my not-easy Wednesday workout to get an extra day of rest in. I think I might need it.