As I sit here drinking my coffee still feeling sleepy, I reflect on my week. My legs are sore, I am tired, my apartment is messier than I’d like, and the Attack Terrier Lloyd is looking at me with disdain.

Basically this week I forgot everything I have learned thus far. I am Benjamin Button, only in reverse. Instead of getting smarter this week I got dumber.

Monday went really well. I took the Gangster Hills down and got home at a reasonable hour, made dinner and got to bed. Tuesday is when things took a turn. I decided to go to the pub run. This day is normally a recovery run for me. But for some reason I took it upon myself to make it a tempo run. AFTER 7 hills. Dumb. I stayed up a little late and had sore legs on Wednesday morning.

Wednesday I woke up groggy and got ready for the night’s impending hash run. Not knowing that winning or coming in near the front of a hash run is frowned upon (READ: totally nerdy) I sprinted through most of it. Dumb. I stayed up way later than I normally do and had sore legs on Thursday.

Thursday I had a big day planned at the ring of fire. I had 7 x 800’s. This is a record for me. I got through six and didn’t know if I could make it through the last one. Luckily, Coach EK helped get me through it. Gotta love friends. Thanks Coach EK! After the ring of fire, we had a going away dinner for a BRA member, Zen Runner T, who is going to Iraq for six months. I would not have missed this for the world as I love, love, love her. But again, a little bit later of an evening for me.* Dumb.

Friday I woke up with, you guessed it, sore legs. I tried to get to bed early but I just couldn’t sleep. I didn’t have any sleep aid left so I just tried to get some shut eye before the 18 miler. Dumb.

On Saturday I pretty much bonked before mile 10. I was struggling. Luckily, P-funk, Becs, and Jesus John were there to pull me along. We got back to our cars at 17.72 miles and I just couldn’t make another quarter. I had nothing left. I know, the shame!

I discussed all of this with a very wise woman (V, you are my hero) after the run and she said something that made me feel so much better about being such a rookie this week.

She said that sometimes, you need weeks like this to remind you of all the reasons you do the things you do. Like going to bed early, eating properly, and keeping your recovery runs as recovery runs.

Life does get in the way sometimes and you can’t always do what is needed for a successful long run. But after Saturdays 17.72 miler, I sure as hell am going to try.

*I normally go to bed when the street lights come on.