THE 'REST' DAY

"What is without periods of rest will not endure."

~ Ovid

For many of us, Sunday is a day of rest.  For me, as a runner, Sunday is literally my "rest day".  No running.  No cross training.  No nothing.  In the same way that one has to respect the taper when he or she is training for a marathon, I truly believe that you have to respect the rest day when it comes around each week.  All runners - fast or slow, young or old, elite or recreational -  need a rest.  The body, the mind, the whole package, needs a break from whatever strenuous thing it is that we put it through day in and day out; which in my case is running.  Yes, I do many other things that wear me out.  I am a mom, a coach, a school volunteer, yada, yada.  But the running is what takes the most out of me physically.  I choose to run and race and I embrace and thrive on the hard work (most of the time).  So, I get a lot of satisfaction in knowing that I have earned my "rest day".  And without this rest, for which I would say the same thing about running, I would probably have a tough time holding it all together.  They say balance is key for a reason.  I love knowing that on Sunday morning I can wake up and just chill.  I don't have to think about what the weather is doing, I don't have to worry about how to squeeze my run in around our family activity and I am not wondering whether or not I should go ahead and have a second, or (gasp!) third cup of coffee.  I know when my husband asks me "What do you want to do today?" my answer will have nothing to do with running.  And that is a good thing - for all of us.  When Monday rolls around, my girls get ready for school or camp, my husband gets ready for work and I put on my running clothes.  Even if I can't get to it right away, I know I'm going to do it.  I need to do it.  I want to do it.  And after this short but luxurious rest, I am once again eager to put my body in motion.  And that, too, is a good thing - for all of us.

Listen to this:
Come Save Me - Jagwar Ma