In the middle of the end

I think if a real editor looked at my titles she would hate me. They have nothing really to do with my post topics but its the first thing that comes to my mind when I try to grab the spirit of it. 

I have passed the mid-week point of what I consider a decent week of training. Nothing has been outside of my normal training boundary but its constant pressure on my body to see how it bounces back for the compounding effort placed on it. So far so good. The only hiccup this week has been my long run was cut by 2/3 due to the efficiency of an auto store repairing a component in one hour not the scheduled three. I think most people would shout for joy at being done with a car shop two hours early. I think I got robbed of 12+ miles running.  I just couldn't pick that up anywhere throughout the day. 

I feel stronger. I feel good. I feel tired but not exhausted. Compared to baselines I took of certain courses a month ago and comparing to this week, my speed is up, heart rate is down, body is responding. 

I would be remiss to not mention some of the odder things happening to me during all this. I think that most endurance athletes have been through this in big build phases at some point; I am talking about those minor physical manifestations that are unique to each of us and constantly change from year to year. My eyes ache. I must have gone through a bottle of visine already trying to keep them lubricated. Already a bit of a perpetual tenderfoot, I have spot on a heel that hurts when I walk barefoot. Cycling shoes, running shoes, Vibram 5 Fingers, no problem. Skin, not so much. My legs are fatigued but the best therapy hasn't been standing in my 62* pool, or soaking in my hot tub or using my running 'stick' to roll out the muscle; its been lying front down on a thick fleece blanket and the texture of the fabric seems to ease the discomfort in my legs. Maybe thats all too much information. However I think that almost anyone training for something like an ultra run, ironman  triathlon or similar event can attest to such temporary changes in their body. Some probably much more uncomfortable than what I've listed here. 

It is hard to say it's downhill through the end of the week because I have a lot of training going on between now and then. But based on how I have maintained already this week, regardless of what I throw at myself in the upcoming days, weeks and months I think I can overcome it. I think I can prosper. I think I can succeed. I think I believe. 

It's not enough to exist. I am going to live.