Optimal and Bottom Line Plans

"Going into every race, you should have two realistic yet achievable plans. The first plan is your optimal plan, what you fully expect to achieve, not a goal that requires an exceptional day but what you believe to be your best performance ability at that time... The second plan is your bottom line plan -- the minimum achievement for you to be happy with the race. No compromises, no excuses, this is the 'must have' goal for the race." -Greg McMillan (a runner, exercise scientist and coach).

My optimal plan:  Finish in less than 2 hour, 45 minutes. 
My bottom line plan:  Finish.

Good, that's settled.  Now on to today.  I did *not* get up before dawn to run with Karen (sorry Karen!) as was planned.  I woke up for the second day in a row with a headache and I just couldn't muster the strength.  If everyone around you is telling you the same thing, maybe you should listen.  Even a random nurse that I met today asked if I'm drinking enough water.  Okay, okay, I get it, I need to drink more water.  So, it's either dehydration or peri-menopause causing the headaches, that's what I've concluded.  I'll spare you all the gory details about my weird menstrual cycle, let's just say it gives me reason to believe this peri-menopause idea might not be so far off the mark. 

I took some time off work to get my run in.  I had a mom's club event tonight so it was the only way.   I did my 5 mile run and felt really good.  After that I did chest/triceps/core for strength training.  When I woke up this morning my right shoulder hurt like heck.  Fortunately it didn't interfere with my workout much but I hope it's better by the time I do shoulders again or I won't be able to lift a dumbbell for shoulder raises.  

So far I'm feeling like I want to go to the gym tomorrow.  Not only because I skipped yesterday but also because tonight at my mom's event I had a few cookies and ended up going out for a pint of beer.  It would probably be good to balance that out.

Well, tomorrow's weigh-in.  I've been terrible lately at predicting what's going to happen on the scale so I'll just wait and see.  Until then...