Vacation Running & Vacation Eating

I've been in Maryland for a week now. We're going to stretch out our stay until Monday..I think. At least that's the current plan. Here's how my running has shaped up so far this week:

Sunday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 6 miles
Friday: 2 miles

My plan was to "take it easy" after running the 20 last Thursday, but of course I didn't exactly do it. Why is it such a problem for runners to do that -- to take it easy? Or is it just a problem for me? I love running when I'm down here. I'm always up way earlier than the rest of the family so I can get it done before they're even awake. Plus, it's incredibly flat here and that's such a nice change of pace.

I felt really good after my 4 mile run...so good that I ran 6 on Tuesday (I had only planned on doing 3). It was after the 6 mile run that my knee started bothering me. I'll spare you the details, but after talking with my brother who had a similar problem last year after an 18 miler, we decided it could possibly be my IT band. He said he bought one of those foam rollers to stretch it out and that seemed to do the trick.

Off I went to look for a foam roller..they didn't have them at Walmart. The closest thing I could find was a pool noodle. Needless to say, that did not work. I had a feeling they might have one at Target, but I didn't know where there was a Target down here. After a quick google search (what did we do before the internet!?) I found a Target in a town a few miles away and now I have my very own foam roller.

I rolled around on that thing last night. I had no idea what I was doing. I don't even think I did anything that remotely helped, but who knows! I went out for a 2 mile asessment run this morning and I think it actually felt better, but I'm not sure it's because of the roller. I still felt little twinges here & there & I thought it could start really hurting at anytime, but I made it through the 2 miles and it still is feeling okay.

It felt strange running just 2 miles. I want to go out for 3 tomorrow, but I don't want to push it...and I mean it this time! I have no idea if it's my IT band or what, but I'll be very disappointed if I do something to hurt myself now after coming this far in the training. I don't even want to think about it!

Other than that, we are having a great time here at the beach, but I have eaten way too much. My husband says I haven't, but here's what I think the problem is. I don't eat much when I'm at home. When I'm home I always eat a healthy breakfast & usually a lowfat dinner. I don't normally have an official lunch, but I have snacks throughout the day of yogurt, pretzels, stuff like that. When I'm on vacation, I eat a decent breakfast, but then we go to the beach and I bring stuff I don't normally eat like sandwiches, cookies (for the kids of course!) and a bunch of other junk. Then, we go out to eat every night - that's the biggest problem. Oh..and the ice cream. They have THE BEST ice cream place down here (Dumser's). That's another problem. Oh, and the drinks...BIG problem ;-)

I'm sure that even if I have gained a few pounds I'll drop it once I get home and go back to eating my regular way. In the meantime, I feel like a big cow! I think I have to start downsizing my meals starting today! On the other hand, I'm on vacation & that only happens only once a year. I should just enjoy it, right???? Right?