I had such high hopes for a great run . . . turns out I was just plain delusional. Here’s a list of my delusions versus the realities:
Delusions/Reality
I can run 6,8, or 10 miles NO PROBLEM! OMG I can’t! I really can’t! How sad that I can’t!
I love running. WTF (no offense for my strong language) was I thinking – I obviously must have been captured by aliens!
Running is getting pretty easy for me! Not today! Nothing about today was easy – NOTHING! I fought for every single step. The entire time was a fight not to quit, not to cut it short, not to just say “screw it” and walk.
The weather is going to be amazing today (forecast for 50* and sunny). Liars! Liars! Liars! It was 43* with 12 mph winds making it feel like it was 35* – dang, that’s cold . . . though I was beyond thankful I threw on a second long sleeve shirt seconds before heading out (oh such a great decision). I was also thankful that I unintentionally had a route where the wind was at my face for the first half and at my back
I can leave work early enough to get in 8-10 miles NO PROBLEM! Didn’t happen.
I have become a strong enough runner to run any distance alone. NOPE – not true. Every single step was a mental fight to keep going.
I really enjoy running with music. In real life I hate music. I have about 30 songs on my ipod that are my favorite songs from various aerobics classes in my life. I like the songs that are on there, but today – today they were all just annoying!
This was one of the hardest runs I've done in a LONG time! I fought to do every step. Only in the last 1.5 miles did I stop hating every second and rather just merely disliked every step. Under normal circumstances I would be extremely disappointed with my performance, but today - today I think this was a gigantic success (albeit a less than fun one). I wanted to quit SO many times. I wanted to cut this run short SO many times. My lower back was killing me (no idea why – boo!), but still I went the distance and fought to the finish. I did this all by myself. I have grown so much as a runner and a person. As sucky as every step felt, I feel amazing about the overall accomplishment.
That bondi band pretty much sums up tonight’s 6.58 mile run . . . “Run, walk, crawl, FINISH!”
Quick run stats: 6.58 miles, 1:33.28 (14:12 m/m – which seems incredible to me given how much the entire thing sucked – last year such a sucky run would have easily been 16:00 m/m or more), 1:1 interval used but miles 3-5 I ran 2 and 3 minutes at a time and walked 1-2 minutes. I just did whatever I felt like doing. The last mile was pretty amazing – I ran 7 straight minutes . . . who knew I could do that? Nice!
How does a sucky run affect you? Does it impact your confidence as a runner or just shake it off?
Right now they all suck. I lost all my endurance and speed. I'm starting at ground zero.
ReplyDeleteGreat job not quitting!
I always look at a sucky run as something to get past in order to get to the good runs :) And I agree that there's a sense of pride and accomplishment knowing you finished something you hated throughout it, instead of quitting.
ReplyDeleteAnd ANY run is better than no run!
I think it takes the sucky bad runs to help me appreciate the really good runs. You don't know what "good" is until you've had "bad".
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great to track your times and look back a year and see how far you've come, even on a bad day? Thank goodness for Daily Mile and running logs to help us get perspective.
Sucky runs all affect us - I had a great week of running this past week and logged a ton of miles....was feeling great! I woke up Saturday morning and I couldn't put weight on my left foot! Same thought as you (WTF), I was supposed to do my last long run this weekend before my marathon on the 22nd. I am off running for a few days as per the podiatrist - but as much as I think my body rejects running I am determined to prove it otherwise....
ReplyDeleteKeep running Lisa! Dont give up after one sucky run....trust me there will be more to come, learn from them, laugh from them....and realize that the next run you have could be the best of your life!
But even though it was a sucky run (with a good times and long stretches of just running - so really I don't know where the sucky is) you did it. Woooo Hooo.
ReplyDeleteI just wish my stupid back let me have a sucky run!!
I know how you feel about this run- I've had MANY a sucky run. Especially lately with such sucky lungs. But guess what? You still DID it! And lookit how much you've knocked off your "sucky" time!! Be PROUD lady!! I know I'm proud of you!
ReplyDeleteIt might have sucked but you went out there and you did it, it would have sucked worse not running at all. We all have crappy days (I had one today) but it beats sitting on the couch or being back where we were before we starting being lunatics and loving running. :) Keep up the good work and I promise to check in more often.
ReplyDelete