Work Hangover Saturday: Cross-Training

This morning I felt like a blimp. I haven't been eating poorly, I'm not stuffing my face with anything bad, but somehow I've packed on a few pounds since Cleveland and I can feel it.

At 9 am I went out to run 6 or 7 miles and I felt like crap. I actually felt like puking during the first 2 miles. Then it passed and I felt slightly better. I figure it will go away once I pick up the miles again, but I really feel like a bloated cow today. Even my clothes feel tight.

I thought, maybe it's all the salt in the soy sauce from sushi the other day. We went out for sushi on Thursday evening. Or maybe I'm just exhausted, sluggish, and in need of a nap. I hadn't even consumed any beer. Yet.

So to celebrate my bovinity, I met Dennis and our friend Mark at Odell Brewing Company at 11:30 am and we began consuming beer. Living in Fort Collins has it's advantages. First thing was the new Celestrina saison, followed by St. Lupulin, my hoppy, grapefruity favorite from Odell. The Celestrina was okay, but I preferred the Funkwerks Saison by a long shot. Celestrina was dull gray in flavor compared to Funkwerks bright neon magenta. At least I thought so.



Dennis always looks so much more alive than I do. Maybe it's because he just works and doesn't run much. Or maybe it's because I feel like crap after four shifts in six days. Regardless, the three of us sat and drank beer and discussed politics, whispering words like "Republican" while we watched the place gradually fill up with locals and people in town for CSU graduation weekend.



I'm really not too concerned about the bloat, or the blimp. I know that once I get back to my running mileage I'll drop these temporary pounds. This summer the speedwork emphasis should help me destroy those extra few pounds of lard. Tomorrow, more easy running miles and a bike ride with Troy. Looks like reaching 40 miles this week will be no problem. Next week I'm bumping it up again, I'll get back to the hills. I know it will make me sore but I have to do it.

Next week the plan is to shoot for 60 miles, but 50 will be okay, too, since I don't have a lot of days to run, with 4 days of work. Two of those days will be sitting on my butt for 8 hours in a classroom doing computer training though, but that's exhausting in itself. I do plan to hit the hills once and maybe one tempo-ish run if I can catch Wheaties Boy before he takes off for the Bryce 100. I work next weekend,then the Houska Houska is Memorial Day. And then Casper Marathon six days later.

I'll be back at it before I realize it. I'm even considering Estes Park marathon depending on how I feel after Casper, even though I swore I'd retire from Estes Park after 2010. I want to run! Plus my mind is itching to get to the track, but my legs are not ready at all.

This cross-training is a necessary evil. Gotta stay "in shape" in my off-season, right?