Keeping it Simple

I haven't run for almost a week. I have run at least three times a week since September. I have a half marathon in five weeks and the longest I've run so far is 10 miles. But I needed a break. Seriously needed a break. I hadn't had a good run in two weeks and every. single. run was a challenge. 3 mile runs were taking longer and longer and I was more and more exhausted after each one. I was feeling constantly tired and ill. Running just stopped being fun. I rejected it for a while. Kept trying to push myself further when the answer was right in front of me. A break. I was burnt out. Running was becoming my life. Coming before my friends, my family, my boyfriend. And I wasn't enjoying it. I needed a break to find myself again, not just me-as-a-runner. I needed a break to fall back in love with running again. What was meant to be a break of four days turned into five when it took me two and half hours to get home in the storm last night, and six when I didn't feel it was safe to go out for a run this morning. I did an hour of strength and I am ready for my run tomorrow. And my break was amazing. I went out with Phil on Friday night without worrying about missing park run. We spent the whole day together on Saturday- the last time we did that was the day before my last 10K because I was tapering (and just writing that down makes me realise how much running has taken over my life). And on Sunday I didn't have to jump out of bed to get home for a run. We actually got a Sunday morning together. It wasn't always easy. Not running on Sunday was awful. Long runs have become as synonymous with Sundays as food shopping and cooking dinner. But I pushed it aside, and I rested. I had a rest of my body and my mind. And I am so excited to run tomorrow. I'm even excited for my Sunday long run. I haven't been excited for a long run in months! I have to be honest though, I am excited to get my life back after my half marathon. I have another 10K in May and I can't wait to just train for a 10K! I just want to run 10Ks for a few months and then I'll see. But there's a half marathon in September that I quite fancy so we'll see...

dress- c/o Glamorous

shoes- Warehouse

Anyway, on the theme of keeping it simple, this outfit! It is so simple but it's cute and comfortable and that's kind of what I need right now. And look, another shift dress! I really am a convert! I am such a big fan of prints, and I love dresses that have such a great print that you don't need to wear anything else with them to still feel "done". I was going to add a jacket but I decide just to, well, keep it simple and show off this dress!

Have you guys got any exciting Valentine's plans? I kind of like Valentine's Day. I know, I know, it's cheesy. I haven't had a date for Valentine's day for absolutely years (I gave blood on Valentine's Day last year!) but I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Mainly because I can't wait to give Phil his present! It's his birthday in a few weeks so we're just doing little gifts, and then we're going to the cinema to see Her. Probably not the most romantic of Valentine's films but we've both been wanting to see it for ages. Think we're going to have a pretty chilled out day on Saturday and then we're going out in the evening. I'm looking forward to it. I've had a pretty long week and haven't had a single night this week when I've been home at a decent time due to choir and plans with friends and then delays with trains, so I'm ready for the weekend!

Hope you have a great one!

Charlotte x