Maybe you noticed before I did. It took me a while to admit it to myself.

I’ve been racing for a week. Racing the calendar, racing the sun, racing my fuel expenditure. And my body’s crew chief is giving the signal for a pit stop.

My planned hiking hiatus for family time over Labor Day weekend is stretching longer than I’d anticipated as I listen to my body’s cues for rest. When I chose to sit in the car shop for four hours rather than take a 4-mile hike in sunny, 70º weather, I knew I was exhausted. And when my GI system was still unsettled after four days away from dehydrated meals, I knew it was time to take some extra rest.

Saying no to others is hard; saying no to myself is harder.

The SHT will be there next week, as it will next year. And 100 miles out of 300 is a great first step. We’ll see when I get to take the next one!