I have not run in 6 days.
Coincidentally enough I have also not slept in 6 days.
I was diagnosed with chronic insomnia when I was 5 years old much to my parents dismay. They were at their wits end by that point, having tried cutting all sugar and caffeine out of my diet, letting me play til my hearts content to burn up energy as well as using Nytol and Benadryl... nothing worked. I was still up playing all hours of the night and then come sun-up I was a redheaded beam of sunshine that my parents did not appreciate in any way shape or form. They finally put up the white flag of defeat and took me to the family doctor who prescribed a list of chores for me to do when I couldn’t sleep. That worked out for the most part, except when I started vacuuming at 2am... Mom drew the line there. They taught me to make coffee so I could at least wake them up at ridiculous hours with their life source in a cup. I also learned how to make breakfast, so our house was always clean, there was always coffee on the pot and I excelled at breakfast cookery. Everyone wins!
As I grew older and learned how to read I would spend night after night devouring books until the early morning while the rest of the house was in peaceful slumber. In short it didn’t bother me a lick that I never slept. At any given time of the day or night I am an endless vat of energy. Seriously... it’s annoying... sometimes I even annoy myself. And should I actually consume caffeine, look out. I am like a 5 year old on pixie sticks! When I enrolled at Full Sail here in Orlando for college I was easily the only person in my program that didn’t mind the late night/early morning classes. I bounced into every class and lab running on a full tank. I even worked a full time job while I attended that crazy school, the only person who worked full time actually. Everyone thought I was on crack. Heck if I saw a person like me bouncing around like this all the time I’d of thought they were on crack!
Right about December, when I started actually training for the Gasparilla Half Marathon a most peculiar thing happened... I fell into my bed exhausted one night and actually slept the entire night! From 10pm til 5:45am. It was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced! As my training progressed I slept like a champ every night. I went from getting a coveted 3-4 hours of sleep every night to a full 6-8. I was even capable of taking naps after my long runs, passing out cold for an hour! Now mind you I have been on every type of sleeping aid out there; Ambien, Lunesta, Trazadone, and countless other products the doctors have guinea pigged me on throughout the years. Nothing worked. Not only do I not fall asleep right away, but I can’t stay asleep and I’m a very light sleeper. Things that go bump in the night wake me up; including but not limited to cars lights as they drive by my windows, the air conditioner kicking on, any little light possible in my room (i.e. alarm clock, cell phone charging, computer lights, etc... I had to rig everything so I was in a total blackout. My roommates referred to my room as the cave.) Wind outside, rain outside, someone getting home late, someone using the restroom, someone snoring inside the house, dogs barking outside, etc... And should I spend the night at someone’s house or have someone share my bed... forget it! Game over! I lay awake all night. I can’t tell you how many times I had boyfriends frustrated with my abrupt partings in the early morning hours because I just couldn’t take lying there anymore! People don’t get my not being able to sleep. Me, I was just used to it... or I was... until all my running brought me glorious sleep. For 3 months now I have been enjoying sleep the likes of which I have never seen! Full nights and then waking up in the morning just as energized if not more so by it! Oh glorious, glorious sleep... how I miss you!
Did I mention that I haven’t run in 6 days and that coincidentally enough I also haven’t slept in 6 days? I am no longer a functioning person... I am a zombie going through the motions. I have laid awake night after night, staring at the ceiling, reading books and planning my day for lack of anything better to do. I have decided this is my punishment for not properly taking care of myself. I will now issue this public apology to my legs...
“Dear Legs,
I am sorry that I did not listen to you and that I have been stubborn about going to the doctors. I am taking you today and hopefully the good doctor will prescribe me some muscle relaxers for you and will tell me that all my resting this week has helped. In exchange I beg of you to perform your proper functions and allow me to run again. I am tired, very, very tired as sleep has eluded me for almost a week because of my lack of inactivity. I am also tired of limping around like a 90 year old woman much to the amusement of all of my coworkers and friends. As an added peace offering to you, I am taking you to the beach this weekend where you will do much more relaxing. I beg your forgiveness and it is my sincere hope that you will recognize my attempt to make amends. In the future I also promise to be more considerate and respectful of your needs and I apologize for being so selfish and stubborn. I let the endorphins consume me and turned into a fiend. I have a problem, and as I have learned, admitting the problem is the first step to recovery.
In closing I beg your forgiveness once more and hope that you will accept this offer of truce.
Forever Yours,
Redhead Running”
Coincidentally enough I have also not slept in 6 days.
I was diagnosed with chronic insomnia when I was 5 years old much to my parents dismay. They were at their wits end by that point, having tried cutting all sugar and caffeine out of my diet, letting me play til my hearts content to burn up energy as well as using Nytol and Benadryl... nothing worked. I was still up playing all hours of the night and then come sun-up I was a redheaded beam of sunshine that my parents did not appreciate in any way shape or form. They finally put up the white flag of defeat and took me to the family doctor who prescribed a list of chores for me to do when I couldn’t sleep. That worked out for the most part, except when I started vacuuming at 2am... Mom drew the line there. They taught me to make coffee so I could at least wake them up at ridiculous hours with their life source in a cup. I also learned how to make breakfast, so our house was always clean, there was always coffee on the pot and I excelled at breakfast cookery. Everyone wins!
As I grew older and learned how to read I would spend night after night devouring books until the early morning while the rest of the house was in peaceful slumber. In short it didn’t bother me a lick that I never slept. At any given time of the day or night I am an endless vat of energy. Seriously... it’s annoying... sometimes I even annoy myself. And should I actually consume caffeine, look out. I am like a 5 year old on pixie sticks! When I enrolled at Full Sail here in Orlando for college I was easily the only person in my program that didn’t mind the late night/early morning classes. I bounced into every class and lab running on a full tank. I even worked a full time job while I attended that crazy school, the only person who worked full time actually. Everyone thought I was on crack. Heck if I saw a person like me bouncing around like this all the time I’d of thought they were on crack!
Right about December, when I started actually training for the Gasparilla Half Marathon a most peculiar thing happened... I fell into my bed exhausted one night and actually slept the entire night! From 10pm til 5:45am. It was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced! As my training progressed I slept like a champ every night. I went from getting a coveted 3-4 hours of sleep every night to a full 6-8. I was even capable of taking naps after my long runs, passing out cold for an hour! Now mind you I have been on every type of sleeping aid out there; Ambien, Lunesta, Trazadone, and countless other products the doctors have guinea pigged me on throughout the years. Nothing worked. Not only do I not fall asleep right away, but I can’t stay asleep and I’m a very light sleeper. Things that go bump in the night wake me up; including but not limited to cars lights as they drive by my windows, the air conditioner kicking on, any little light possible in my room (i.e. alarm clock, cell phone charging, computer lights, etc... I had to rig everything so I was in a total blackout. My roommates referred to my room as the cave.) Wind outside, rain outside, someone getting home late, someone using the restroom, someone snoring inside the house, dogs barking outside, etc... And should I spend the night at someone’s house or have someone share my bed... forget it! Game over! I lay awake all night. I can’t tell you how many times I had boyfriends frustrated with my abrupt partings in the early morning hours because I just couldn’t take lying there anymore! People don’t get my not being able to sleep. Me, I was just used to it... or I was... until all my running brought me glorious sleep. For 3 months now I have been enjoying sleep the likes of which I have never seen! Full nights and then waking up in the morning just as energized if not more so by it! Oh glorious, glorious sleep... how I miss you!
Did I mention that I haven’t run in 6 days and that coincidentally enough I also haven’t slept in 6 days? I am no longer a functioning person... I am a zombie going through the motions. I have laid awake night after night, staring at the ceiling, reading books and planning my day for lack of anything better to do. I have decided this is my punishment for not properly taking care of myself. I will now issue this public apology to my legs...
“Dear Legs,
I am sorry that I did not listen to you and that I have been stubborn about going to the doctors. I am taking you today and hopefully the good doctor will prescribe me some muscle relaxers for you and will tell me that all my resting this week has helped. In exchange I beg of you to perform your proper functions and allow me to run again. I am tired, very, very tired as sleep has eluded me for almost a week because of my lack of inactivity. I am also tired of limping around like a 90 year old woman much to the amusement of all of my coworkers and friends. As an added peace offering to you, I am taking you to the beach this weekend where you will do much more relaxing. I beg your forgiveness and it is my sincere hope that you will recognize my attempt to make amends. In the future I also promise to be more considerate and respectful of your needs and I apologize for being so selfish and stubborn. I let the endorphins consume me and turned into a fiend. I have a problem, and as I have learned, admitting the problem is the first step to recovery.
In closing I beg your forgiveness once more and hope that you will accept this offer of truce.
Forever Yours,
Redhead Running”
