Running. There’s a lot to love about it. But sometimes there are those times when you want to say something along the lines of “not today satan, not today” but you still lace up and head out to the trail.
Maybe on those hard days, you cut a little deal with yourself. If I get out the door and just run – insert appropriate distance – then I can chill for the rest of the day or have that glass of wine. Or it’s during those low motivational runs that you start plotting and making promises to yourself. I just have to run to that tree. Every step counts, right?
Twice this past week I had to really fight my inner lazy demons to stick with my training plan. One day I was just feeling heavy and grouchy. I had parked at Nose Hill with a plan to run the 14-kilometre loop. Over the first four kilometres, I had switched my plan at least three times. Do a simple out and back at the 5K mark. Just run 5K. Lie here on this single track until I get my mojo back or until I freak out a cyclist.
Thank goodness there’s that well-known saying, don’t judge a run by the first mile or kilometre. Otherwise I would be in serious trouble. Isn’t it funny how the more you run, the better you feel? I mean at least that’s how I see it.
Sometimes it just takes our brain a little longer to catch up with the rest of our body. I don’t know how many times I have struggled mentally at the beginning of a run only to find my inner rockstar in the next few kilometres.
So if you’ve been a long-time reader of this blog, you will know I’ve been running and writing about running for a bit now. Maybe it was the uncertainty and chaos stemming from COVID i.e. the world shut down, I feel like a born again runner. Everything is new, shiny and exciting. I find myself re-reading running books and searching for training advice alone. Crazy, right? (Did I mention I have a coaching certification?)
The bottom line is – you will have your bad days and you will have your good days. Some days we need a little self-pep talk to get out the door. That’s okay. Sticking to a training plan can be a bitch at times. When I first began running, I used to worry about missing a run. Now I don’t sweat it.
Having patience and consistency are the two of the most important parts of any training plan. As long as you are doing the work, you will get what you put into it. This year I am tracking my mileage on an excel sheet, and I bought a subscription to Strava. Yes (this low-tech supporter) is geeking out.
I love seeing the confirmation that I am doing the work. Are you putting in the work to reach your goals?
Do you make deals with yourself on those low motivational days? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.
Oh yeah. I’m having that moment right now, doing my WordPress stuff in place of exercising. But I know I’ll end up going out later anyway, so it might as well be soon. Anyway, when we don’t feel like doing something is exactly when we should! Thanks for this post!