Unplugged

I did something a little out of my box this morning.  It was a little outside my comfort zone and a little bit uncomfortable for me. I ran unplugged. I wore Apollo on my wrist like a security blanket, but we didn't communicate with one another.  I ignored him. 

I listened to nothing but my breath and constant pitter patter of my shoes hitting the pavement.  I relied on my own perceived exertion rather any devices or music to push me through my tempo run.

I changed up my workout ritual quite a bit this week.  I started off the week by sleeping through my alarm.  I rarely get upset when this happens. The message is always clear.  I need to honor my body and sleep is the one thing I often neglect.

I accepted the circumstances and adapted to them by switching to an evening workout.  My energy levels are not the same at night and it's hard for me to work at the same intensity as a crack of dawn session, but as I got into my Insanity, the more I enjoyed it.  It was a welcome change and feeling the sweat dripping off my body at night was surprisingly energizing.

It is so easy to get into a ritual rut.  Doing the work may not always be enough and sometimes it just takes a simple change of circumstances to allow us to not only break out of the rut, but to break through it. 

The result of my "unplugged" run?  I ran faster than I have in weeks.  As much as I rely on technology to tell me my pace and music to motivate me, it's okay to listen to my body and let my gasping breaths dictate my pace. 

It's okay to sleep through my alarm and cherish the extra sleep rather than waste my energy being upset by a missed workout.

Adapt to change. Embrace the different circumstances.  Try something new.  Step outside your comfort zone.  See mistakes as opportunities and just run with it...or without it!