Last week, I found myself hitting a wall.
I went out for a run last Tuesday night as usual, but about eight minutes in I started to get shin splints and immediately slowed to a walk. When I felt better I began to run again, but the pain returned. So I limped home, put my feet up, and placed myself on a week’s hiatus. I’ll start running again tomorrow, but for a much shorter time so that I can build up my distance a bit more gradually. I knew that I had been pushing my running a bit too far – I had just started on my journey from 5K to 10K, and was determined to get there before my birthday at the end of October. By overdoing it, I set myself back further. Lesson learned.
I also pulled a muscle in my neck at bootcamp a couple of weeks ago. I had been working through it and it wasn’t getting better, so I’ve been taking a break from strength training too. I’ll be back in the gym as usual at 6:00 am on Friday morning.
All of this coincided with my parents coming for a visit to attend a family wedding. During my hiatus, I spent time with family and friends, attended one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve been to for a long time, and explored the area with Mom and Dad. I’ve lived here for two years now but haven’t done much venturing out, so it was a great opportunity to see new towns and villages beyond where I live and work.
If you need a break (especially if you are at risk for injury), it’s okay to take one. Trust yourself enough to know that you’ll be climbing right back on the wagon as soon as you’re ready. After taking the time to recover I feel rested, refreshed, and raring to go. In the meantime, I’m glad I took some time for me.