Smiling Through A Runners Low…
I’ve been running for around 3 years now and last year was a serious lull for me (looking at my history I clocked up hardly any miles) so I set out to change that this year and at the same time I wanted to try to run a little longer and faster.
To be honest I have an inconsistent relationship with running.
Some days/weeks I just want to run for 10+ miles and other days after 1.5miles I just want to stop and walk…
Some days I don’t need music just my own company…
Some days I need someone to pace me, chat to and pass the time with…
I’ve not ran less than 15 miles a week for most of the summer but the pleasure factor has been more varied and I can only blame myself for this. Why? I just put myself under too much pressure, then I don’t relax and enjoy my run and I’m too busy focusing on keeping a certain pace than enjoying the sport and freedom it brings.
Today I had pencilled in a 10 mile minimum run around a local country park, I had my new Salomon’s to wear in ready for winter and killer playlist prepared.
Sadly I overslept, woke up feeling absolutely terrible and arrived at the park mid day when the temperature was highest, crowds of people where parking and I got stuck behind a family cycle ride. After 4.5miles I just accepted defeat and walked the last 2 miles to my car at a good pace and thought..
‘I’m going to stop beating myself up about this, it’s not a competition, I’m not running a race, I’m meant to be enjoying myself not self torturing’
What I’m trying to say Is I’m not perfect and some day’s it just isn’t going to ‘work’ for me and I know I’m not alone in this feeling. Maybe we should all stop comparing ourselves to others via social media and then sitting on the sofa thinking ‘I’m hopeless next to so and so’ and love ourselves, our bodies and our runs no matter how short, fast or slow.
If you run a 14 minute mile for 3.1 or cruise a 6 minute mile pace for 26.2 your still absolutely awesome – Don’t forget that.
Do you ever experience running lows? How do you get yourself back on track?
Katie
x
P.s
You may like this comic – It’s the BEST *The Oatmeal*