Running on empty...

Well after last Monday's run in the smoke filled air I gave myself 3 days of rest, not so much because I thought I needed the rest but more because I've been coughing up gunk all week.  I ignored the warning that the air quality was poor and ran anyway.  I didn't smell smoke in the air so it must be fine- NOT!  Note to self....don't ignore the "poor air quality warnings" no matter how the air smells!  Anyway,  todays run was less than spectacular.  I had good intentions of running 5k to try and gauge my time for next Thursdays Turkey Trot that Michelle, Josh and I are running Thanksgiving morning.  But I got about 1/5 mile into my run and the wheels fell off my bus.  My nose was running and I had phantom shin pains...  I say phantom because I still walk a fine line between shins that are fine and shin splints- no going willy nilly for me and running 2 days in a row or anything CRAZY like that...oh no!   My shins have felt fine all week for the most part but somehow when I get out and run I start to feel the ache...and I haven't been doing this long enough to know when to run thru the pain and when to stop.  I do know that even the most seasoned runners say the first mile sucks so usually if I can get past the first mile I'm ok but for some reason sometimes I just stop running and walk without even realizing I'm doing it.  I really need to work on being conscious and running thru the walls that come up.  For me running is as much a mental workout as it is a physical one.  Which is completely unlike riding which I could do all day everyday... Last week on the Biggest Loser Jillian said something that totally stuck with me and I need to apply that here-  she said something to the effect of "pain is fear leaving the body, physical pain and emotional pain.  You are allowed to feel the pain but you are NOT allowed to let it hold you back"   I'm going to give it another shot on Sunday.  I think I will run in the evening since that seems to be a better running time for me than mornings.