7 AM: Wake up to no alarm. Sweet Mother of All Things Triathlon, it is nice to not have to wake up in the dark to train today.
7:02 AM- Get out of bed, walking like the Tin Man and remind myself that I am supposed to stretch and foam roll today.
7:05 AM: Cup of coffee #1.
7:07 AM: Cup of coffee #2…ahhh…the joys of having time for a second cup.
7:30 AM: Do I need to shower today? All signs point to no. It’s a rest day!
7:45 AM: Catch foam roller looking at me from the corner of my eye. Avoid eye contact in hopes it will not bother me.
8:00 AM: Kids still have not eaten and are waiting for me to make breakfast. They apparently forget how to use toaster when I am around.
8:00–12:00- Eat 4 breakfasts, consisting of 90% carbs that I can shove in my mouth from boxes and bags. All nutrition knowledge about macros and whole foods goes out the window.
12:00 PM- Check Strava for the first time. Immediately regret checking the feed. Feel like I should be training to keep up with people on Strava. Must throw out my training plan to follow what other people are doing.
1 PM- Change of heart. Remember that rest days are when my body repairs itself and absorbs the training and my mind gets a break, too.
1:05 PM- Maybe I should be training today? Check Strava again. Damn, Susan ran 12 miles this morning. And Dan swam 3600 yards. In MARCH.
2:00 PM- Trip over Foam Roller and push it under the couch. I will not be bullied.
3:00 PM- So. So. Tired. Why am I so tired even though it’s my day off? Realize I have barely hydrated today, unless you count the third cup of coffee I had at noon.
3:30 PM- Use Normatec Boots, not because they are good for recovery, but because children and husband cannot ask me to do anything for them for 30 minutes while I am immobile. Family dehydrates and starves while I Normatec. Dog is the only one who seems okay.
4:00 PM- Feel guilty for not doing any activity today. Maybe I should go for a walk. Dog goes to sit by door because he heard me *thinking* about a walk. Will think more quietly next time. Decide not to walk. Rest days are for taking as few steps as possible.
5:00 PM- Pour glass of wine while making dinner.
5:30 PM- About to pour more wine, but decide to check Training Peaks to see what my workout is tomorrow. Put wine bottle back and remember that I am 45, not 25, and will not be able to get out of bed tomorrow, let alone run 1.5 hours, if I have more wine. Spend a few minutes lamenting my low tolerance and advanced age.
6:30 PM- Garmin buzzes and gives me a congratulations on my rest day. It’s nice that *someone* cares.
7:30 PM- Chocolate time. (This has nothing to do with a rest day. I just like chocolate).
8:30 PM- Check Training Peaks again to go over my training plan for the week. Spend the next five minutes wondering why I tri, if my coach is truly a madman, and if I can defer my next race until next year.
8:35 PM- Start laying out my clothes and fuel for my early morning run tomorrow.
9:00 PM- Bedtime.
9:30 PM- No really, bedtime. Stop watching Netflix.
10:00 PM- Lights out. Say goodnight to the foam roller before heading to bed, with false promises that I will use it tomorrow after my run.