One of Those (Rest) Days

Sleep deep

Day 4 - One of Those Days: Turning Rest into Mental Strength

Today was… just one of those daayyyssss that a runner goes through.

I woke up mentally tired, maybe physically tired too, and finding motivation was tough. I was hungry, thirsty, and a little worn down. I handled my morning chores, but it felt like I was just going through the motions.

On top of that, the weather had dipped a bit. Not freezing, just slightly chilly — the kind of morning that isn’t bad at all until you’re around someone who acts like the cold is an apocalypse. You know the type, loud as a motorbike: hugging themselves, shivering dramatically, as if the Rockies just blew through the room.

I used to be one of those people. Now? I can’t stand that mindset. Negativity drains me. For years, I let a “lack of” mindset disease paralyze me, second-guessing myself until I couldn’t move forward. My foot is now down, standing on business, not letting that sickness back into my life.

So, on days like today, when motivation is low and burnout is close, I switch to checklist mode. I remind myself to recharge instead of pushing past burnout. At the top of that checklist is Rest & Rejuvenation. Thoughtful R&R is still kinda new to me. I was introduced, and we've been acquaintances for years, but we never hung out solo, without others around to distract. So I could never really focus on her. Well, I bumped into her recently and saw her in a new light. I asked her out on a date. Like a real date, and she said yes....

Akili: Hey, Arenar (R&R), can we go out sometime?

Arenar: But we've been out lots of times.

Akili: No. I mean, like just me and you go out. Not without everyone else.

Arenar: Oh. You mean like a date?

Akili: Yeah, like a date-date.

Arenar: ...

Akili: ...

Arenar: Why?

Akili: (Thinks first)...Well, I've seen you and been around you for years, and you've always been lovely and very attractive. But through all the noise, I just feel like I've never had a chance to get to know you, for real. Now I'm asking if we can spend some time together, to get to know each other...alone.

Arenar: ...

Akili: ...

Akili: I mean, we could just...

Arenar: (She puts her hand on his mouth to silence him) Shhh. Don't say anything else. Okay. But there are a few things that you need to know and understand about me. I do things a little differently than you might be used to. Would you like to hear?

He extends his hooked arm toward her. She takes it. They walk off with him, listening to her talk.

..and SCENE.

I haven't fully integrated her into my regular schedule yet, so we currently see each other sporadically, but we still have a good time when we do get together. It's sporadic because I mostly see her on the weekends, but sometimes my weekends get filled up, and I have to switch our dates to the middle of the week. So, honestly, my real weekends often fall on Thursdays and Fridays — that’s when she lets me slow down, reset, and breathe.

Today, that meant she was going to make me the healthiest meal she could throw together (a big pot of vegetable stew), reminded me to take my vitamins, lay out comfortable clothes, and gave me space to float. She queued up a couple of movies — Unbeaten 28 and Fear the Night. The trailer for Unbeaten 28 caught my attention the most: “Trained in the Iron Body style of kung fu, a student faces his ultimate test against the Shaolin Unbeaten 18, each trap deadlier than the last.” Honestly, that's exactly like my life. Fear the Night was fine, but I only watched it because of Maggie Q. I'm a fan, so that's all that was. Didn’t finish either, but I will.

When the movies didn’t stick, she turned to trusty YouTube. Sure enough, between her and the algorithm (and probably my phone’s microphone!) served up exactly what I needed. I stumbled onto a gem: Be Delusional 2.0. I’ll drop the video here if you want to check it out too.

So yeah — today became an unplanned R&R day. And I probably fought it a little, because of habit. But I'm glad she reached out. I needed to see her. If anything, it reminded me that I need to be more intentional about scheduling Arenar (R&R) days instead of waiting until Burnie (burnout) catches up to me and hits me in the chest. More about her later.

Even without a workout, I count this as a win. I stayed mindful, I didn’t let negative self-talk take me down, and I gave myself the grace to recover. That’s part of training, too. Every single day is another chance to build not just physical strength, but mental toughness.

🏃🏾‍♂️ Daily Recap

• Distance: 😴

• Time: 😴

• Avg Pace: 😴

• Cadence: 😴

• Miles Logged: 5.5 miles in October

Lesson Learned: Be more constructive and thoughtful about time spent with Arenar (Rest & Rejuvenation) 😉 .

Tomorrow’s Focus: You might still need more rest, or you might be feeling ready to go again. Stay loose and prepared for either one.