Running on empty

Training on vacation is a little challenge within the challenge of training for an event, which is what I'm doing.

The first problem, as you may quickly guess, isn't the running itself. The first problem is food. Making good, healthy food-as-fuel decisions went out the window after the first two or three days. I've eaten cake, candy and Taco Bell. My mug shot is currently in the Vacation Food Failure Hall of Fame.

I'm sneaking into the Hall this afternoon to take the photo down.

Vacation food is sinister. What's one Taco Bell taco, right? What's a little extra sour cream? Caramel cake? Trader Joe's hummus? Well, the hummus is ok, but what about the entire container? Moderation flew right out the window thumbing its nose at me.

You see what I mean? Sinister. Clearly. This three-layer hummus is to me what chocolate is to some women.

It speaks to me in whispers. I know you know what I mean.

The second problem with training on vacation is time. No, maybe it isn't time. I have quite a bit of time on my hands as evidenced by my food choices. The problem is priorities. Once I got a handle on things here in Ohio, I decided that since I'm burning PTO from work, I should actually practice being on vacation.

I had been trying to work a few hours every day. I KNOW! How stupid was that? That's another blog post about how everything that could go wrong does go wrong. So I took my niece on a whirlwhind tour of Dayton and nearby regions.

As a result of the tour, this past week I ran only 12 miles instead of the 18 miles on my schedule. I think that's ok, but even so, this week's mileage is 19. I'll need to eat a lot of protein and drink lots of water, so look for me dressed in black clothes and a ski mask skulking around the Vacation Food Failure Hall of Fame.

I'll be there right after I try this awesome little BBQ place in downtown Centerville...