Burnt to a crisp...

 Hidy-ho folks! What a gloriously, glorious... wet day :(  Haha, I know the farmers are probably happy about it finally falling and I should be too but deep down I miss my sun. It's been about a week now without it. ;)

That's not all I've been struggling with recently, however. And now that I type it out, maybe the two are actually related? Who knows!

I've sort of mentioned in previous posts that I'm starting to feel a little burned out from running, maybe I've been over doing it or it's just not the right time for my body to be doing the long endurance runs that my mind craves. Again, who knows!

Any-who, this burned out feeling sort of built up this week. I didn't have the motivation or anticipation of my runs and even bordered on dreading them? Yet I kept pushing through and I know this was not good for me physically or mentally. I can sort of tell I need to take a step back, or switch things up, just stop what I'm doing for the moment.

What am I doing at the moment? For the past few months or so I've been rising at the crack of dawn every second day to pump out a loooong run, week after week after week. And it was great to begin with. But then I started to feel sore and tired all the time and un-motivated, bloated some days and just a bit cranky. So I slipped in a speed run to replace one of my endurance runs and to be quite honest I loved these- I looked forward to these every week and that was my first clue I needed a change up.

Today was pretty much the breaking point. The point where I burned so far I got burnt. I rolled out of bed with the stars still shining, went about my running routine I've become so accustomed to (drink some water, eat 2 dates, get changed, warm- up, head out) and headed out, purely, I guess, to get in a run for the day, not because I truly wanted to.

It started off pretty good and I got into my zone but I noticed that I would slip in and out of this zone continuously, making the run seem like it was stretching on for hours (more hours than it did ;). Usually I return home and think; 'Wow, was that really 2 hours?' this time I felt all 120 minutes that I was out there.

I guess the heavy rain and wind didn't help either, soaking me through and filling my runners with water. Sometimes running in the rain is fun.. generally when it isn't heavy and windy!

Half-way through I was just struck with how dumb I was being. I wasn't enjoying the one thing that brings me so much joy in life. I wasn't doing this run for pleasure, I was doing through habit? Through simply needing to run for my minds sake? It was then that I made the decision to try out something new and different. Instead of long, slow endurance runs, why not try out shorter and faster runs?

Not only will this be good training for the upcoming school cross country (which is only 3km) but could also be just what my body truly wants at the moment. When that idea came to me, I was excited. Excited to finish this not-so-great run and start a new chapter in my running life. Maybe it's a seasonal thing and come Spring/Summer I'll be back to the long ones! Whatever the case my body is trying to tell me something and I'm going to listen!

Interested to see me after my run today, soaked to the bone?
Enjoy:

 Wrapped in a big towel because I was dripping everywhere!

 Look at that smile. So much happiness... ;)

 A few out my front door when I finally arrived home:

 And that was when the rain was calm.

Not the cheeriest post I've ever written, but on Steph 2 Chef we keeps it realz! Life throws out good and bad things and we just have to focus more of our attention on the good things so we don't miss them and let them fall away.

What about you?
Where are you at with running/ exercise at t moment? Loving it/ hating it/ neither?
What's your method of re-building a lost love?
Enjoy running in the rain? The one thing I love  bout it is arriving home, showering and snuggling up with some warm oats- INSIDE!

Bye for now luvly-chuvlies! Make sure you listen to your body too- respect it and honour it with all the good things! Also- eat something yummy! Byeee :D