Tough Runs Do Happen...
On Wednesday I put my first double digit mileage in over 5 months, it felt great, it went really well but later in the day I was completely beat. I was really dragging but then would get a burst of energy here and there. I tried to fuel and hydrate through out the day and knew I had to eat a little bit over my points to make sure I was fueling what I had burned, but I just wasn't hungry and had no energy. Yesterday I woke up for work and planned on doing some sort of exercise before I had to go and close, but I could barely keep my eyes open. I was so sluggish and was moving like a snail. I made a pretty good breakfast but my eyelids were heavy and I felt like I had to slap my face a bunch of times to wake up. I hydrated with iced green tea and attempted to make it through my 10 hour day. I have no clue what came over me, I was just really dragging.
Some days are just those types of days when you are increasing your mileage and training...
Today I worked an opening shift, which got me out of work at 530. I brought my running gear with me and packed lots of food and snacks for the day. I was going to fuel before I put in my mileage tonight. I figured to get at least 18 miles in this week, I needed to do at least 5 tonight. I left work and had a bit of energy, I was happy I had a bit of pep to my step. Got downtown and started out on my run, and then it hit me. I had a headache allllll day long, a sinus one right behind my eye and inside of my nose. It was really bad, but not bad where I was down for the count, but when I started running, of course the Motrin and caffeine wore off and made its way out again. Then the shin splints came and the fuel belt felt like it weighed 80 pounds.
Nothing felt right and nothing was going right...
It was panning out to be a bad run. I tried to just concentrate on the music in my ears and the views of the amazing downtown St. Pete offers, but my brain was taking over and telling me to turn around and go back. My brain was convincing me it was over and 3 miles would be enough, it tricked me into thinking this is not my life, why am I doing this, I could be home, laying down, snacking and watching tv.
My brain was playing horrible tricks on me!
I had to curse myself out to make myself continue you on and after a lot of mental choose words, I pushed out those doubts. My run was slow and my legs felt like bricks just gliding along the pavement, but I made it through those 5 miles tonight.
I understand that not all runs will be considered good runs. Sometimes they are going to be so bad, it will discourage you from going on or ever wanting to do it again, but the choice you have is to listen and give up or block it out, curse, scream, shout and continue on. I would choose the latter, which is what I did and it was even more rewarding at the end... knowing I didn't give up.
And...
And because I didn't give up..I treated myself to these items...
Small pumpkin iced with skim and splenda, 2pp!!
Some days are just those types of days when you are increasing your mileage and training...
Today I worked an opening shift, which got me out of work at 530. I brought my running gear with me and packed lots of food and snacks for the day. I was going to fuel before I put in my mileage tonight. I figured to get at least 18 miles in this week, I needed to do at least 5 tonight. I left work and had a bit of energy, I was happy I had a bit of pep to my step. Got downtown and started out on my run, and then it hit me. I had a headache allllll day long, a sinus one right behind my eye and inside of my nose. It was really bad, but not bad where I was down for the count, but when I started running, of course the Motrin and caffeine wore off and made its way out again. Then the shin splints came and the fuel belt felt like it weighed 80 pounds.
Nothing felt right and nothing was going right...
It was panning out to be a bad run. I tried to just concentrate on the music in my ears and the views of the amazing downtown St. Pete offers, but my brain was taking over and telling me to turn around and go back. My brain was convincing me it was over and 3 miles would be enough, it tricked me into thinking this is not my life, why am I doing this, I could be home, laying down, snacking and watching tv.
My brain was playing horrible tricks on me!
I had to curse myself out to make myself continue you on and after a lot of mental choose words, I pushed out those doubts. My run was slow and my legs felt like bricks just gliding along the pavement, but I made it through those 5 miles tonight.
I understand that not all runs will be considered good runs. Sometimes they are going to be so bad, it will discourage you from going on or ever wanting to do it again, but the choice you have is to listen and give up or block it out, curse, scream, shout and continue on. I would choose the latter, which is what I did and it was even more rewarding at the end... knowing I didn't give up.
And...
And because I didn't give up..I treated myself to these items...
Small pumpkin iced with skim and splenda, 2pp!!.JPG)
I just read an article in Runner's World about the big effect the brain plays on running. It's pretty interesting stuff, and so true! Good for you for keeping it going!!! :-*
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