The dreaded Bad Run can really put a damper on your enthusiasm for running. The Bad Run can occur as a single instance, or it can be a series of painful and demoralizing workouts. But it doesn’t have to be all bad.
Sometimes, a Bad Run can be a good thing.
If you’ve ever run, you know what a Bad Run is. The miles seem longer than usual, your breath seems harder to come by, your legs seem heavier, and perhaps you are hungrier than normal or thoughts of Netflix and chill are the only things running through your head.
This is the bane of every runner, but it doesn’t have to be. I have some knowledge to drop on you – this suck is temporary. This pain and frustration will not last.
Beginner runners will have a hard time when they first start out – this is a given. Every run at first will be awful and hard. You won’t believe the runner’s high hype. You may even question your sanity.
Stick with it. You will feel the glory of the road beneath your feet and the breathing ease of those you see running around you.
There are normally two things your Bad Run is trying to tell you:
· You are worn out from your workout the day before
· You are over-training
· You are getting sick
All of the reasons above require a simple thing from you: rest. You can spend time analyzing what’s going on in your life, and which of the above you are currently suffering from, but the cure to a Bad Run is simple: take a rest day, and if your run still sucks, either run through it until it feels better or take more time off.
However, if you are coming down with something, or suffering from burnout, rest is always your best option. Don’t worry too much about missing out on training or losing your fitness. I know that’s so easy for me to say as I sit at this keyboard, and I know most runners will not follow this advice.
I can’t stress enough the power of rest. Taking a few days to get your stress level down will do wonders for your running. Runners expect so much of our bodies. Sometimes we need to spend the day reading or in the garden and not getting our miles in. Don’t stress about it – your body demands it.
If you experience a Bad Run or a series of Bad Runs, don’t be disheartened. Sometimes it means nothing, and sometimes our bodies need a break.
The most important thing to remember is that they aren’t all bad, and it will get better.
Keep doing what you do. You are a fierce person who does difficult things before everyone else is out of bed.
