Rest, the new old idea.

Until just a day before the marathon last week, I had bolstered a running streak of 136 days straight. It was one of those things that began perpetuating itself. There were days I did not want to run but felt liable to my streak. A friend recently observed that I rarely do anything lightly. While I avoided injury and bounced back from the marathon within days, I have resisted the urge to lace up. Instead I've been resting with just a couple workouts for November Project. It's been good but tough. In a way it felt like because I could, I should.

I am taking two weeks without running. It will give me an easy week before training begins for Chicago. I am also going to tweak my plan. As per usual, it will be tougher, but I am putting rest days back in. I want to push harder and thus will be taking the universally recommended rest days seriously. The last four months, rest days meant only a mile or two.

Can and should, the endless battle for me. I aim to enjoy every minute of Chicago in October, but I also intend to leave it all on the streets of my old home town. Taking a couple days off each week will make me faster, stronger, and most importantly healthier.