Naked

Ever run naked?

Yeah, naked. You read it.

No watch. No Garmin. No emphasis on time or splits. Or distance, really. Just runnin'. Naked.

After my Dam to Dam race, my coach has been taking it easy on me. He hasn't assigned any speed workouts, nor has he increased my long runs. My longest run for the past week has been about six miles. That's it.

Am I a little worried about maintaining my fitness and endurance?

Ummm. Yeah.

While I appreciate this little 'break,' I was getting used to running un-naked. I was starting to look forward to structured workouts - and the constant urge to ralph.

I think my issue regarding 'naked' running is that I'm afraid of losing. Losing endurance. Losing speed. Losing fitness. And although my coach has been emphasizing the need for rest and recovery (cycles, really), I'm not yet completely comfortable with the idea that I should 'peak' and then rest and recover in order to peak again. While I know I shouldn't be at peak condition at all times - I feel like I've worked so hard to improve my running. Why should I relax and 'lose' what I've worked so hard to accomplish?

I guess I just need to embrace naked running. And enjoy it while I can...