Elizabeth Templin McCamic
Over the weekend, I had a big assignment: three half marathon training sessions. Four miles to run Friday, two miles to run Saturday and five miles to run Sunday, my long run day each week.
By the time I got out there Sunday, I was tired. I ran the five miles, but it was an act of pure will. From the moment I started running, I knew it was going to be tough. Sometimes when I run, the first couple of miles go by like nothing. My legs are just ready to move and being outside feels so energizing. Before I know it, I've covered two or three miles and it's almost time to head back inside.
Then there are those other days, and Sunday was one of them, when it is a struggle every time I lift my feet and I'm aware of every minute I'm running. My legs feel heavy. I'm achy. My nose is running. On these days, the whole time I'm out there I'm giving myself a pep talk, trying to block out thoughts like "I can't believe I've only gone half a mile. How much longer do I have to run?"
My Mom is famous in times of crisis for saying "You can do anything for x amount of time." Somehow x is always equal to the time required by the task at hand. On Sunday, I found myself using this phrase as a mantra: I can do anything for 30 minutes...20 minutes...15 minutes and on until the end of the run.
I think what kept me going Sunday was the desire to stick with my training schedule. I committed to running this race, so I have to stick with it, even though it's hard some days. I also know this is just the beginning of my half marathon training and it's going to be even harder if I let myself skip out now.
Runners out there, do you ever have bad running days? What do you do about it? How do you push through?
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4 comments:
yep, been there and done that. Typically feel better after first mile or so. Are you an "associator" or a "disassociator" type of runner? Do you send your mind off to ponder the universe while you run or do you monitor every heart beat and ache? I try to have a "theme" for each run to get my thought onto and off of the distance to run. Or maybe get a repetitive tune going in my mixed up mind like "Working in a coal mine going down down now"...old motown stuff great for this. Whatever,good to hear you stuck with the plan and didn't give in to the "don't do it devil".
Way to go! Keep pushing through.
Thanks for your encouragement. I typically get into a groove when I'm running and think about other things, but during my run on Sunday I thought a lot about how much farther I had to go. I guess some days are just like that. I'll keep plugging away. Thanks for the tips. I'll have to try a theme run next time I have a hard day. Sounds like fun!
1. Always approach runnin' like lovin' gotta dig your heels in and take your mind off the end goal. The journey is the focus.
2. Music- Currently it is Van Halen 1 for street,
Prince Rainbow for trail on this Ipod.
3. Never do less than the last time.....always finish what you start...even if you have to crawl to do so.
4. Run more trail than street. It's better for your soul, and you aren't that idiot jogging up Providence in rush hour sucking up all the unburned hydro carbons wafting from
all the soccer moms suv's.
Francis Beatty Park works.
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