With the record-breaking heat and humidity this week, it was hard to muster motivation to get my running in. Thank goodness for my CT Chapter TNT teammates - I wouldn't have made it through a 10-mile run without you! Although the run was discouraging to say the list, I completed the 10 miles. Sure I had to walk A LOT, but 10 miles is 10 miles. Since it was so hot and humid, I managed to drop 4lbs in water weight during the run. Wow! After the run it was imperative to hydrate, hydrate some more, and keep hydrating the entire day. Although I usually like to push myself, I took it easy yesterday. When my body was tired, it was time to walk.
Being safe and taking it easy can sometimes be frustrating. I was happy to read some tips from my TNT NYC coach this morning on "bad runs." For all those runners out there, here is what she had to say:
1. Focus on the health benefits. Even if you have a bad run, you're still getting lots of benefits, such as stress relief, calories burned, and other health benefits.
2. Don't forget the mental training, too. Getting through a tough run makes you stronger mentally. These tough runs will help teach you how to deal with rough patches during your race.
3. Figure out what went wrong. When you have a bad run, it's helpful to understand why it happened. Was it the weather? Are you sluggish from overtraining? Did you eat and hydrate properly? Are you getting enough sleep? Figuring out the reason behind your bad run can help you avoid a repeat experience and can also help you make adjustments to your training.
4. Write about it. It may seem like writing about your terrible run will only prolong the agony, but expressing your thoughts about it in your training journal or blog can help you work through it. Having a record of what you think went wrong will also help you prevent you from making the same mistake in the future.
5. Appreciate your good runs. The silver lining of having a bad run is that it helps you better appreciate your great runs. After a terrible run, try to push the bad run out of your mind by thinking back to the runs when you felt incredible and experienced that intoxicating runner's high.
6. Talk to others. All runners, from beginners to elites, have days when it's tough it get through a run. Comparing bad run stories with other runners will make you feel better about your own experience because you'll know you're not alone.
7. Don't wait too long to run again. Bad runs are usually pretty rare, so don't assume that you'll feel the same way the next time you run. So don't get discouraged and stop running for a week because you're afraid you'll have another tough run.
