Taking a day off after some heavy travel. Plus it has been more than a week since my last rest day.
Quite often, rest days require some measure of patience for me. Even though my body needs to rest, I have the urge to run. Would you call that an addiction? Perhaps. But, addicted to what?
There is so much that I enjoy about it. While running, I love feeling my legs, arms, and heart pumping. I love feeling the movement. But the best part is after the run. I almost always feel rejuvenated and re-energized physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. That feeling usually lingers all throughout the day.
One other part of my rest day frustration (a quirk really) is the lack of movement. I don’t like sitting idle. Likewise, I do not enjoy doing without direction or purpose. So I like the feeling of movement towards a goal or destination.
At the same time, a history of injuries (running and otherwise) have taught me to respect my body. Overuse and over exertion can lead to injuries that are much more irritating than any rest day. Just ask any runner who is going through a period of down time. Who likes being grounded?
So I will rest today. But I can’t wait to hit the pavement tomorrow!