Sunday morning, Brabant sleeps. Nobody on the road, nobody in the forest. It’s what I like. Out on my own, the birds singing, the hares running away and the kilometers ticking off. There is just one problem. My mind. I’m asking myself; what did I get myself into?
What, is the Trail des Fantomes, a month from now. 68 kilometers with 3.000 meters of altitude. When I signed up, it looked like a good idea. Today I’m not so sure. See, the kilometers are not really ticking off today. Every kilometer is hard work. Every meter is hard work. My legs feel heavy, I feel tired.
Strength training
Okay, I had a long week. Sara and I have been working every day from early morning till late at night; filming a new course for our yoga platform. On top of that I picked up my training again, after the break I took to recover from the Dolomiti Extreme Trail. I also added strength training to my schedule. It will help me to get up the hills and mountains; my weak spot. But for now it’s making my legs heavy.
I know I will start the Trail des Fantomes with fresh legs. I have planned to taper for three weeks, but still… Only 4 weeks ago I ran 57 kilometers at the Dolomiti Extreme Trail, so why does this long run feel so heavy? Why am I so low on energy? Is it because of all the late evenings behind my desk?
Stress is stress
Stress is stress, I’ve learned that. My body doesn’t know the difference between physical stress and mental stress. Last week was stressful. That could be an explanation. Plus, it’s hot in the Netherlands. I haven’t slept very well the last couple of days. It’s even warm this morning. That could explain it.
The problem is, it’s going to be hot in La Roche-en-Ardenne as well. Maybe not as crazy as here today – 35 degrees – but still warm. I mean August is summer in this part of the world. I am not a runner for summer. Cold days are my thing. That’s why I’m asking myself: what did I get myself into?
A little slump
At the same time; I have been tired before, I did run in the heat before, but even with that in mind, I am still surprised that my legs feel so heavy. As I have told you before; I expected to be in better shape these days. Maybe it’s just a little slump, maybe something else is off. Let’s see how this week goes and if I can come up with an answer.
I’ll keep you posted.
