Everyday I'm Shuffling

I read up on Overtraining Syndrome last night - and have decided to drop my target heart rate to 130-140 for my runs going forward. Given how I used to approach running - as far as I can go, as fast as I can go, as frequently as I can go - it's not a stretch to think that my slower race times over the years could be a result of OTS. I've got all the symptoms listed in Stage 1 of being overtrained, so... better safe than sorry. Lower heart rate it is.

Sleep went mildly better last night. Fell asleep but woke up at 4, all "Ok, day, bring it on!" I didn't get up, though - tried to get back to sleep, but had some weird annoying bicep twitch going on in my right arm. Don't know what that's about.

Finally I rolled out of bed at 6 to get my run in... except I couldn't run. I did my 15 minute warm-up at about 110 bpm, and then picked up the pace. Even the tiniest shuffle caused my heart rate to jump out of range. So today's "run" was really a speedwalk. Same thing happened to me on Tuesday, and I ended up using the elliptical machine instead of the treadmill. This is going to be problematic if this keeps up for my brand here:

And then I've gotta go changing my email address and Twitter handle. "DarkSideWalker" doesn't have the same ring to it.

Adding to my frustration today is the $!%@# Apple Watch. About halfway into my run today, it stopped giving me a heart rate reading, just "measuring" for extended periods of time. I tried stopping and restarting the Exercise app and loosening the watch band (I had it as tight as it could go) to no avail. I then wiped down the sensor and that seemed to work. Come on, Apple Watch. I know you can do lots of things, but I really need you to do this ONE thing for me reliably. Cooperate please? Tomorrow is your last chance or it's back to Target you go.

This weekend will bring a lot of great holiday-themed runs. I thought about doing the Palm Harbor race just for fun since that isn't too far. My first 5k was a holiday-themed run in NJ - the entry fee was simply an unwrapped toy for charity, and it was tons of fun. I ended up doing it every year that I lived in NJ, so I feel a bit sad to be missing out this year. But I think I'll pass on the race since I'm really not "racing" anything at this point.

128 days left.

Today's Exercise:  1 hr outdoor run, 119 bpm (not thinking this is accurate).

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
coffee, 3 eggs with spinach	tuna salad, peppermint tea	Omelette- ham, peppers. Eggs!!!