Good Thoughts for Bad Runs
Whether you’re a new runner just starting out or a seasoned runner who has been racing for years, we all know the empowering feeling we get after an amazing run. Where everything just seems to click and you feel incredible. That feeling where you conquer the negative split, have enough gas left in the tank (and then some) and you feel like you’re on top of the world.
Well, today’s thoughts are not about those runs. Today, I’m talking about the other ones. You know exactly what I mean. The crappy runs. The runs where nothing seems to go according to plan and you have no earthly idea why. The runs where you feel dead after the first mile. Where you can’t keep up with your training partners. Where your legs and lungs simply decide to shut down and not cooperate.
No matter how long you’ve been running, you know these runs I’m talking about.
Well, my last 3 runs have been those kinds of runs. During 2 of them (both 6 miles or less), I actually had to stop and walk. *Cue sound effect: “Dun dun duuuuuun.”* I felt like I had zero energy (even though I’d eaten and drank appropriately). I don’t know if it was the heat, my mind or just one of those days (ahem, series of days) we just have to chalk up to being crappy runs … put them behind us and move on.
Those are the runs that make my confidence quiver in fear. They make me question my goals. They make me question my mental strength and abilities. Temporarily.
Words from several songs have been resonating with me lately when it comes to this. As I struggle with some of my runs (and as you may be struggling with yours in the newfound heat and humidity, too), I wanted to share the words and lyrics that lift me up during those crappy runs.
Try to let the bad runs go, and key in on why the good runs are so good. Appreciate the good ones. Learn from the bad ones. Repeat.
“This is 10 percent luck.
20 percent skill.
15 percent concentrated power of will.
5 percent pleasure.
50 percent pain.
And 100 percent reason to remember the name!”~Lyrics from Remember the Name by Fort Minor
The “this” in these song lyrics make me think of “running.” The percentages are almost perfect, don’t you think?
“I just wanna see you,
I just wanna see you,
I just wanna see you,
I wanna see you be brave …
… Show me how big your brave is.”~Lyrics from “Brave” by Sara Bareilles
“Cause sometimes you just feel tired, feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up. But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength and just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up and not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.”
~Lyrics from “Till I Collapse” by Eminem featuring Nate Dog
Here’s to the good runs … and to the good thoughts that will get us through the bad runs.
How do you react to having a crappy run? Do you have any secrets or tips for pushing through the painful or tough parts of a run or race?
Comments
I have had a few runs since an injury and while it feels amazing to be running again they have all been bad runs. I have been do tired, slow and a bit sore after each run but thankfully I know that’s just going to make the good ones that much better.
Great post. I was about to blog about Runner’s Burn Out. My runs have been suffering for the last couple of weeks. I thought I would chalk up my bad runs to the heat/humidity/bad outing excuse, but in my case I think its truly Runner’s Burn Out. Bad timing since I’m getting into peak marathon training. Ugh.
On a positive note I like to leave you with one of my running song’s lyrics:
7 Lions Born 2 Run:
Sometimes you gotta push
Though all your obstacles
Nah mean
No matter what the options are
There is no lose , there is no fail
LETS GO
Youtube Vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eehHQBKCJbA
Yall Keep running.
Love those lyrics, Abe! Thanks for sharing them with us! I’m sorry to hear you are feeling burnt out. You won’t lose any endurance really if you take about 5-7 days off, so maybe consider changing things up the next week to get out of your rut. Swim, spin, do yoga … take some kind of class you’ve never done before. It will keep you active but change things up. Or … just make all your runs next week easy runs and don’t worry about hitting certain times/paces. Go without your watch, etc. Good luck and keep me posted on your training!
“Remember the Name” has been a favorite motivating song for years! It’s awesome. I might need to start listening to it to get back some of my mojo.
When runs are going bad, I try to go naked for a couple runs and just move rather than get wrapped up in splits or a particular workout. I also just try to prepare that much better for the next run.
That is such a good strategy Kimberly! I really need to go for more runs without my watch. I think that would make a huge difference mentally for me. Good luck with your runs this week!
UGH! I’ve been having some crappy runs too, lately. Today I stopped after 4 miles (I wanted to do 6-8), but I was just achy and not into it. I hate it! I’ve been seriously slacking lately and I don’t know if it’s just because it’s so hot out or because I am not training for anything, but I need to kick it into gear. It’s frustrating for sure! I just keep trucking along though!
I definitely try a new route or something to get into the groove, but some days that doesn’t work either.
I like to find one good thing about every run but that doesn’t always work. When it doesn’t I usually tell myself that this bad run will make the next good one so much better. Unfortunately, last year while I was training for Ironman I had a lot of bad runs. Every run was on tired legs. I hated it. But when race day came around and I got off that bike and my legs were just done, I thought, “Ah, I have done this before. Tired legs, feeling crappy? No big deal. I got this.”
I really like the “Remember the Name” song. I will need to remember it once things get tough, mainly when it gets hot & humid but also when the runs are crappy. The %’s are great. As a beginning runner I learned quickly that running is a very mental sport. It was tough but I just kept going a little further & further each time. Used the telephone poles trick on the country roads until I could run one mile. I never looked back & ran a marathon last October.
I have had the same kind of runs recently! Ones where I have to stop and catch my breath on multiple occasions. I feel wiped out. I’m chalking it up to still being a little sick and running when I probably shouldn’t have (my cold moved to my chest/lungs and I still ran). It is discouraging. But I try to assess the situation rationally: have I had enough to eat/drink? am I sleeping enough? etc. etc. And if all those answers are yes and I still have a bad run, I just leave it behind and look forward to the next one.
I really like that Eminem song Til I Collapse. Definitely a good one to keep your motivated on a bad or tough run!