Just say no .... to caffeine?

After having to give a short shrift to sleep Thursday night and with an agenda full of things I needed to do, I hit the neighboorhood Starbucks first thing this morning for a little liquid love. I gave up caffeine last year about this time and actually made it to the summer before the dark brown liquid got its claws back into me. I try to limit it to two cups a day or so (compared with the five or six I was regularly consuming before), but there are days when I just need more (boy, sounds like something out of "Go Ask Alice"). Today was one of them. Faced with a pile of paperwork and dirty dishes to get through at home, I downed a grande drip and then cracked open a double espresso shot and quickly knocked it back. I got to say, it helped me get those dirty dishes done, but when it came to the paper work, well, a nap was looking awfully appealing. I staggered through the paper work, not accomplishing nearly as much as I hoped and before I knew it I realized I was running out of time to hit the gym. I threw my stuff together and ran out the door ... and then ran back in because I forgot my wallet ... than ran out to the car ... then ran back in because I forgot my keyes ... and then ran back to the car .... then ran back in because, well, you get the idea.

When I got to the gym I hit the elipitical trainer, looking to break a sweat, while giving my legs a bit of a break. Then something happened, it was like all the caffeine hit my bloodstream all at once. I found myself going faster and faster. 20 minutes into my run/ride a young woman got on the eliptical next me. I don't know if her competitive juices were flowing, but I quickly noted she was hitting it at a slightly faster pace than me. That just wouldn't do. To me, it was the 1972 Olympic finals all over again, only I was Prefontaine running down Lasse Viren on the home stretch and this time I was not going to be shutout, winning gold. After I pounded my competition into the dirt, I hit the treadmill. Two high speed miles (for me at least) and I wondered when it was the spirit of Pre had taken over. Then I remembered. If there was going to be a urine test after this Olympics I was going to fail the caffeine portion.

I was late for work tonight and still sweating, the cost of championship training that ran into overtime. But I have to say I feel like crap right now. That caffeine feels like it burned a hole in my stomach and a nap, once again, seems awfully appealing. It's a caffeine hangover. Now, I'm not saying I'm giving up the java habit, but I'm definitely staying away from those espresso shooters for awhile. I'm not going to be caffeinating then running anytime soon.

5 mechanical miles, I plan to return to the streets Saturday.