Where's the balance between too much and not enough?

Where's the balance between too much and not enough? | Ecency

It took us just under 1 hour 15 to run a lap around the perimeter (ish) of the big chunk of bush near our home. After a very broken night of sleep, I wasn't sure that I should be attempting my longest run in months.

As I lay in bed this morning with his arms around me, I could see blue sky and a very light wind moving through the tall trees out our bedroom window. It would have been easier to stay in bed, get up slowly, do a walk, eat breakfast at my leisure.

But my heart loved the idea of getting out into the bush. Being surrounded by trees. Spotting small wallabies. Moving this tired, achy body until she felt happily tired from use rather than broken sleep.

So, I drank my salt-infused water and did a few sun salutations. Then I put my bare feet on the grass as I ate a couple of homemade protein bars. I let the rising sun fill my tired eyes with morning light and already felt a little better.

I packed my running vest with more water and snacks, donned fewer clothes than my cold body wanted, knowing I would warm up as I moved. I made use of our toilet, hoping I wouldn't need one once I was out there. And off we went.

It's always a gamble when one is tired and run down to choose the right amount of exercise. Do too little, and the body stays stuck in a low vibration state longer than necessary. Do too much, and the body struggles to recover and repair from the stress it was already experiencing from not getting sufficient rest.

With our 8+ km run/walk, did I do too much? My Garmin watch recorded an average heart rate of 129 bpm and a max of 155. And while my heart rate zones are probably not accurate (because I'm fitter than most people my age), it reckons I did the majority of it in Zone 2. This feels accurate given that I "ran" for approximately 60% and walked for the remaining 40.