Believe to Achieve

Continued from yesterday....I got the crappiest of sleep.  My brain was already changing to the night life, but I had this hangover headache and irritable mood that I knew I couldn't hang out like this....got about 5 hours of broken sleep, even ate a bowl of cereal around 3am.  I decided to still run and see if eventually exercise would put me into stage 3 then REM sleep.  Of course not while running, but I do close my eyes at times and feel a slight drift in that direction.  I did a warm up 1.82 miles up to the canal.  First mile 8:43  to the canal average pace was 9:12 and that is at a steep incline.  I thought I was going slower.  Apparently lack of sleep (I read an inservice on sleep deprivation at work Mon. night) increases perceived exertion.  A no brainer.  But Non rem sleep, stage 3 is the most restorative hormonally and REM sleep helps with calming emotions as you dream your stresses away.  Both types I am rarely getting lately.  Back to the workout.  Like I said most of my runs are impromtu but I wanted to check my speed although speedwork and no sleep is not good Sasha told me.  Oh well.  I survived Bryce that way.  So I continued south on the canal to Battlecreek and ran the first mile of the Strawberries 5K speedily.  Had quite the spectator section (everyone being dropped off at PG High), loads of traffic but I focused and swerved when and where I wanted.  I was surprised to see my time of  6:03 (three days before Bryce it was 6:12).  I felt much like a drunk runner, out of body-like experience, head pounding but body wobbling.  It actually felt easy cause I was numb to any physical pain except the head throbbing.  Ran another slow mile then ran the last mile to my house in 6:40 (half uphill).  I really felt a nap need strongly during that part, my head couldn't convince my body to go faster.  Ran a cool down 1.59 miles at 8:52.  Average pace for all 8:  8:19.  About to lay down for nap, since that is the highlight of my message I am writing to you all.  Sleep necessary for survival.  Hope the two fast miles pay off for Saturday.  Yikes, maybe it was too much?  I no longer know.  I am rambling (see told you I am "drunk")