A BAD RUN

I've been running for a few months now, starting with couch to 5k and building up my fitness. Not all my runs have been perfect, in fact some of them have been super difficult, but I wouldn't say I've had a "bad run". Not until today. 

I get it now. I understand the concept of a "bad run". It was terrible. I did the first bit kinda okay, but then I just... couldn't. Physically I was fine, I wouldn't say my body was raring to go, but I don't have any injuries and I'm still a lot fitter than I was. It was more the mental challenge that got me. My head just didn't want me to do it today, and no amount of motivating myself was going to make me run. I could have turned round and gone home, but I didn't. Here's how I coped with my first real "bad run"

Firstly, I decided I would still complete the route I had planned for myself, even if I ended up walking all of it. I did end up walking most of it, but I did run some of it, which is infinitely better than I would have done if I had just gone home. Besides, walking is still exercise. It may not be the intensity I was intending and it may not get my heart beating faster, but I did still complete a 5k walk, which is more than if I had stayed plonked on my sofa. 

Look at all those calories I burned!

Secondly, I recognised that this was just a bad run, not a reflection on my fitness or progress over all. It's easy to become discouraged with exercise, especially when you are overweight and have recently been an "unfit" person. I suppose by many standards I am still an unfit person, but I'm a whole lot fitter than I was when I started back in May. It's important to remember that progress. I'm actually considering going back to one of the early runs of couch to 5k just to remind myself how far I've come. Running for one minute will be quite literally as easy as a walk in the park for me now, but I really struggled with that when I first started running. There is nothing more motivational than recognising the journey you've been on and the improvements you've made. 

Finally, I made sure to focus on my next run. This helped a lot just by acknowledging that there would definitely be a next run, that I wasn't going to quit because I'd had one bad run. I toyed around with ideas to make sure I stay motivated and to make sure that my next run isn't another bad one. It was a good time to reflect. Maybe I've been pushing myself a bit too hard, perhaps I shouldn't be expecting myself to run the part of my route that is uphill and super difficult yet. I could also try other things like making energy balls to munch on before I go for my runs to give me a bit more of a boost. Whatever I do next, I know for sure that I will be going back out there. I think I'm going to try a shorter route next time to build myself back up again without demoralising myself, and I'm going to focus on those high energy running snacks to help myself along the way.