I need a pep talk!

IMO you've already diagnosed yourself and subscribed your own treatment.  Better sleep and nutrition.  Get those to back on track and the rest will fall in place.

sounds like you need a new goal to motivate yoruself since you had to scratch the Oly.

do you think you could win your age division in your sprints?  That might give you something to work towards. 

Cut yourself a little slack, sister.  I'm guessing you have a lot going on if you're missing sleep.  It sounds like you're doing the best you can right now.  You still have short and long term goals on the map.  If you feel like your run volume is okay for the upcoming sprints, stick with it and do the best you can.   Don't worry so much about a half mary that is three months away at this point.

Hey, you can not do the training... and suffer race day. It's your choice.

We all have that choice. It comes down to how much you care about being miserable race day.

x2. For the most part we are NOT paid, professional athletes. We do this for a variety of reasons, 'enjoyment' being one of those. You don't HAVE to run at all. You don't HAVE to race an OLY. Get some rest, go for a walk when you feel like it and run when your spirit moves you.

HU!!! (much less offensive)
I hate running as well. Before a run, I force myself to get dressed and get my feet moving...once they start moving, there's no turning back until I'm done. Once I'm done, I am happy that I forced myself.

Sorry...what does that mean ? (htfu)

Poor sleep -> nutrition -> skipped workouts -> poor sleep. For me it's a cycle and the portion of it I have the most control over is the workout. Hop back on with a good relaxing workout, don't worry about pace, let your mind wander, and break that cycle. Don't look back too harshly on what you've skipped, there's nothing to be done about that now. All you can do is move forward and get back on that road.

No wonder you don't enjoy running...you're apparently "shoeless."
You can do it! Proper planning: good eating, good sleeping...trust me, it works.

I need to print this out in size 46 font and read it every day. I just could not get dressed and get my feet moving today. Just COULD NOT.. Pretty pissed about it now.

Heidi,
Don't let a temporary set back be a permanent one.
Get some rest, and chill. If you lower your volume for a few weeks, you should't suffer too much. Maybe replace some of that running volume with an added intense (tempo, intervals, hills, etc) workout. here and there.
Make a plan for the half and go for it.

And I am not sure I like htfu much either.

By the way, since you are in Montana, can I have your facebook password......I crack myself up

FYI:  htfu means harden the f*** up
its on these boards a lot- mostly meant in tough-love kind of way

Hi, I am fairly new to BT, but am VERY familiar with the lack of sleep thing.  For me, over a period of time that led to Adrenal Fatigue.  I have not raced in 3 years and hoping to come back to some sprints this year.  Don't let it get to that point.

If you are tired, and not sleeping well, your body is telling you it needs rest.  The "harden up" suggestions are fine if you want to be injured, overtrained, or run yourself into adrenal fatigue.  Not fun...

My 2 cents would be to scale down (and give yourself permission to do so), lower your training intensity and volume, and get your training back on track.

Unless you are getting paid to do this, it makes little sense to drive yourself to train and race if you don't really feel it is fun.  A friend once told me "when it stops being fun, STOP until it's fun."

Maybe read the book "Breakthrough Triathlon Training" by Brad Kearns.  Very enlightening...

ken

My 2 cents - do what you enjoy. Once you start having fun, you'll feel more motivated to run.

Best of luck.

Maybe that is the problem...when I run I have to actually wear shoes; and I am against that!

Thanks, everybody, for your input. I'm sure I'll be refreshed as soon as I get my sleeping habits back in order! Due to my summer circumstances, that may be mid-July, unfortunately.

Is there any way you could just take a "mental health day," catch up on some sleep, etc?  I have no idea what else is going on in your life and schedule (and as a grad student, I know all about not having enough time to take a shower let alone sleep!). But at a certain point, sleep is no longer an optional thing (plus there have been so many studies done recently about the dangers of not getting enough sleep -- bad for your well-being, for your cognitive abilities, and for your own safety if you are driving a car or biking).  Echoing everyone else, unless you're a pro, at the end of the day this is a hobby that you do because you like it.  So take a couple days, do the training you wanna do (and make sure to feed yourself and sleep!), get rested as much as you can over the weekend, then get back on the horse and do every single run workout next week.