. . . When the Going Gets Tough
I shared my admiration for runners who are able to quit on their planned training runs. Sounds weird, huh? But sometimes you really should, and I have real trouble with that. But sometimes you need to push through the bad runs, too.
I’m pretty sure I’ve shared these tips before, but I’m not sure I’ve shared them in a formal post (or maybe I did, but I don’t remember it), so here goes.
So here are five tips for pushing through a run when you really don’t want to for today’s Friday Five from Cynthia from You Signed Up for What?, Courtney from Eat Pray Run DC, and Mar from Mar on the Run.
Smile
I do it often on my runs — not necessarily because I feel like smiling, but because smiling makes you feel better.
Go into the bathroom. Look at yourself. Now smile. Don’t you feel better?
Sometimes I’m smiling in race photos because I am truly having a great race. Sometimes the smile is forced. But it works. As they say, a smile is just a frown upside down. Or is that a frown is a smile upside down?
Repeat a mantra
You may feel that mantras are too hippy dippy or touchy feely, but at the very least, they distract you from whatever has got you hating your run.
The power of positive thinking, people!
I’m a beast in the heat
Dig deep
Start strong, finish stronger
No excuses, finish
Think about what you’re going to eat after your run
Coco @ Running with Perseverance and I were just discussing this on her post Fearing Fear Itself. One of her questions at the end of the post was whether or not you planned out your recovery meal while running.
I one upped her: I often plan it the day before! Or in the case of the ice cream I had last week, I’d been trying to figure out how to work that one in for weeks.
Eat something!
Sometimes you just need a little carb boost mid run. Not on your short runs, but on your LSD (long, slow distance runs). It’s really tempting to not eat anything so maybe you could burn off a little extra jiggle, and sometimes I do a fasted LSD (when they’re on the shorter side).
Sometimes you really do need those carbs, though.
Count steps
This only happens on really, really, really bad runs. Thankfully, I think it’s been a few years since I’ve had to resort to this.
It’s a variation of the “I’ll hop on the treadmill for 10 minutes and if I’m not feeling it, I’ll stop“. Once I’m going for 10 minutes, I’m usually good to go.
So if I’m totally hating my run but I don’t want to bail (and I never bail, so far, anyway), I’ll count 10 steps. And then do it again. And again and again . . . basically, I just have to keep going for the next 10 steps.
Talk to me. Leave a comment or answer a question:
Do you have a favorite mantra?
Are you more likely to bail on a run in the summer or winter?
What’s your favorite tip to keep going?
Fantastic tips! Can’t believe you never bailed a run! I understand though …
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have missed runs due to illness or injury, but never just cut one short or not done it because I didn’t feel like it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When the going gets tough, I always think about how badly I’m going to feel if I bail! But sometimes, quitting is the only thing…rarely…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Food often does it for me. 🙂
Thinking about my goals, of course, helps, too. I’ll probably do another post like this at some point . . .
LikeLike
I almost always finish what I start. Almost. There’ve been times I know nothing good will come from going on. I definitely count steps sometimes. And there’ve definitely been times I could’ve used something to eat…like last week….I totally blew myself up on that 15 miler.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had intended to do a fasted long run last week (it was only 7 miles), but it was so darn hot & humid I found myself hungry. Or I distracted myself with food . . .
LikeLike
When I am having a tough run or swim I do count steps or strokes and it seems to distract me at times. The other day on my run I just couldn’t deal with the heat and bailed onto the elliptical.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have bailed on runs to finish on the treadmill (not this year so far, though).
Right now I’m doing about 2 x week outside, 2 x week inside, just because of what’s going on in my life.
LikeLike
The only time I’ve bailed on a run is when I have been injured and I don’t actually think that’s bailing. I do sometimes run on the treadmill rather than outside if my tummy is acting up or it’s too hot or Greg doesn’t feel like going.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do definitely bail on runs when injured or sick — but I agree, I don’t consider that bailing, I consider that smart!
LikeLike
Exactly!
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I plan to run I usually go and do it. But that’s not saying I don’t alter my plan when I get there. Sometimes I feel bad but then I have to keep in mind that it’s only a training run and if i’m not feeling it (due to injury, heat, etc), there is no sense in killing myself for it. Okay, I know that just made me sound weak…lol but I never claimed to be a hard core runner..lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
totally agree. Must not be hard core either.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As I said to Meranda, I’m pretty sure I don’t qualify as hard core, either.
LikeLike
If it’s too hot, I stick to the treadmill. But sometimes you just gotta run in the heat, too (I’ve had too many hot halfs).
I don’t think it makes you sound weak at all, and I’m not really sure I’d call myself a hard core runner, either.
LikeLike
Amazing. I feel like a slacker. I have bailed many times. If I don’t feel like it,I don’t go or if I feel like crap, I quit. To me it’s only one run. There will be others. Plus as you know, I don’t have a hard and fast plan. I don’t beat myself up if I skip long runs or weekday runs.
Of course, I almost always eat after a run. That’s why I park at Stewarts or Leah’s. I don’t eat during a run unless it’s over 4 miles which I haven’t done in a month.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So says the woman who finished the half that was canceled — something I don’t think I would do (although of course you never know until you’re in that situation).
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was paid for and I felt fine. I am tougher when I ran. The competition in me surfaces. Doesn’t happen on training runs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great tips! I often can be found dancing while running or dining out loud lol!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are super great tips Judy! Yes, I always run with different mantras depending on my mood. Of course, the ice cream is always good incentive!! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Today it was smores cookies. 🙂 And nut butter filled clif bar, and a chocolate zucchini muffin. .. I don’t think 8 miles really qualifies for all that. Oh well (I didn’t eat the entire clif since I also had the muffin at least).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great reminders. I often plan my recovery meal especially if it is a long run. Thinking about food gets me though the tough parts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too, Karen! I’m pretty sure it works for Darlene, too. 🙂
LikeLike
I wish I read this post before my tough morning run! I did use my mantra of “dig deep” a couple of times and it helped. I did realize that I didn’t fuel and that may have caused my fatigue. I’ll have to try smiling when I’m pushing up all these crazy hills!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I actually did run fasted this week — for 8 miles. The weather was much kinder to us this week than last — I’d intended to run fasted last week, but I needed SOMETHING.
Although I think I more than made up for it in my “recovery”. Oh well!
LikeLike
I’ve definitely bailed once, about 20 m from my front door! I was just too tired and it was late☺️ But generally once I’m out the door I’ll get it done one way or another. Counting steps is good for me. Stops my mind wandering because that might make me slow to a walk and makes me focus on the actual running!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Counting steps is usually a pretty desperate move on my part, but it does work to keep me moving!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I believe in saying mantras out loud while running! It has really helped me 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting!
LikeLike
Neat tips. I do use a variety of mantras and often count steps! As a rabid counted cross-stitcher, I find that I am always counting. Also counting seconds for stretches and yoga poses, so counting steps comes naturally.
My husband claims that runners never smile. Wrong!
Ah, thinking about what you are going to eat. That has possibilities!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suck at counting while I run. I lose my place so easily. I even have trouble when I count things like the number of rabbits I saw!
LikeLike
I’ve been using “dig deep” as a mantra a lot lately. Sometimes I find it helps to focus on my breathing during tough runs.
LikeLiked by 1 person