March: The Month of Challenges

We're only 10 days into March and it's been a busy one, mainly because of work.  All work and no play makes me a little cranky so I've decided that I need to add some fun to the mix in the form of a couple of challenges.  The first one is being hosted by F3 (Further Faster Forever) and it's a badge collection challenge.  There are badges for all sorts of accomplishments.  It's like being in the athletic version of the Girl Guides.  Each badge is worth a certain number of points, the more badges you collect the more points you get.  The bonus?  The points can get you prizes!   The contest runs between March 1st and March 17th.  So far I've managed to earn 11 badges.  I have yet to document everything on Instagram but given that I've got a full day of sitting around the studio supervising stuff, I'm sure I'll be able to find the time.

Badge Happy!!

The other challenge I'm going to participate in is also on Instagram and it's being hosted by Ty over at Seeking Boston Marathon and Alison at Racing Tales.  It's a "30 Days To Boston" challenge and it starts on March 17th and ends on race day.  This one is going to be a lot of fun.  I'm looking forward to seeing all the posts from all the other folks that will be racing.  I'm also really looking forward to perhaps meeting a few people in person too.  I can't believe how much the world has changed since the last time I raced Boston 10 years ago.  The last time I did the race, I ran it by myself.  I didn't know anyone else doing the race.  There was no online running community that I could hook up with and none of my IRL friends were running it either.  Now I "know" (virtually) at least 15 different people that will be running Boston this year.  The power of the interwebz never ceases to amaze me.

Speaking of challenges, getting all my usual workouts in has been a bit of a challenge over the course of this last week, but, I haven't done too badly all things considered.  Amazingly I got all my runs done while I was away in Miami.  I also managed to squeeze in a swim and one lame gym workout.  Still a lame gym workout is better than no gym workout.  I'm glad I got at least one swim in.  Hopefully that one swim will help keep me from totally dying when I go back to my swim club tomorrow morning.  

I'd be lying if I said that this past week hadn't taken it's toll on me.  Traveling for work is tough, especially when you're with a group.  Late nights, a whole lot of eating out and drinking sure does a number on your body, especially when you're not used to it.  All of that culminated in one of the worst runs I've had this training cycle.  I knew it was going to suck from the minute I started running.  But, I got it done and I was only 2 seconds per km off of my goal pace.  My legs hate me right now but it's nothing that an epsom salt bath and a massage won't fix.  

Do you travel for work at all?  Does it take it's toll on your or are you used to it?