What was I thinking? The common thought of a overtraining runner

Some lessons are never learned. Two weeks ago I ran 10 miles and felt great about the accomplishment. I set out to do ten and I did it. I should've rested the next day but thinking I was superman, I ran another 4 miles. I felt okay as well! My legs were tired, so that meant rest the following day, right? Nope! I put on my running attire and pushed myself to knocked off another 10 miles. That was 24 miles in three days. 

Rewind a few years back when I first started running and thought I could be an ultra marathon runner. I ran distances I was not ready to run and it led to a serious injury.

The same principle applies here. I ran more miles than my body was ready for. I know this because for the next few days my knees hurt and my right calf was tight. I definitely fell into the category of an overtraining runner. Thankfully, I let myself rest for a few days to let my achy knees and calf heal. 

As I am on a plant based diet, my recovery time has, without a doubt, reduced. I was okay after only a few days. If I was still eating animal based and processed foods, I would have been in recovery mode a lot longer. Eating nutrient dense whole plant based foods has made a huge difference in my running and recovery. 

I want to get to marathon level and I know will. I just need to do it right. Running 24 miles in three days is not going to get me there. Following a marathon training plan, listening to my body for subtle warning signs to prevent injuries and continue eating nutrient dense plant based foods will get me there.

My goals - two marathons in 2014 

And yes- I want to run an ultra in 2015.

I know I can get there. I just have to be smart about it!