The first step out the door is always the hardest!!!

[marco83]

This morning a battle took place in my house, a battle so epic that Morgan Freeman should have done the commentary... (of course I am joking, but his voice is better than mine when reading this

The epic battle between mind, body and weather allied to keep me in bed against my will power to keep my running plans ... I am sure we all went through difficult moments like this every now and then, and I have decided to put it down so that next time I do not make it to the door, I know it happened before and that it is possible to win these battles...

So, it was 5 am and I was in bed, I looked at my alarm and I realized I had to prepare for my morning run. Then I was too tired! and its cold and I have been running for a lot now.. all these wanted to keep me in bed! I turned my head around and all my family was sleeping snuggled in their warm beds... And that didn't help (but they don't like running, I do! so get up!)... Then I listened and ... It was raining outside, pouring down !!! How can I run with this weather... I remembered I read somewhere that running in the rain is good exercise, therapy and a shower all at the same time and for free...

So I pushed myself out of bed, literally on my knees to the stairs...I was tired... I got a coffee and won the fight to put my running kit on. Of course as in any battles I had to accept a compromise and use long and slower cloths (no shorts and speedy shoes for me today )

Then I opened the door and out I was, running in the rain. My body was protesting, my brain telling me i was going to die, and my legs on strike...

To add temptations to all that, my 10 miles run goes through the same initial course as my 2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8 miles runs so at every half a mile for about 4 miles I had to fight against my mind to go ahead...

This time my will power won, but it is not always this way and do not worry if you fall into one of those days in which running is just not going to happen... embrace those days and accept them, do not feel guilty and do not think you have to give up.

Why am I writing this? (you might ask) well, I have had many months of stop many times in the last years and I found my motivation back in many ways (a blog, a forum, a friend, a professional runner... ) and I thought this could be a good way to pay it back... if this reporting of facts can help anybody else who is struggling in getting their run done, I will have returned a small part of the inspiration and motivation I got from others, and I'll be happy

How do you get yourself out of the door in those bad days???

enjoy your run

Marco

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Great post! truly motivational We get out there, at whatever level... because, quite simply, we love running.

And.. in true Oldfloss rambling style.. with Huge, huge apologies to Rudyard Kipling...and his poem, If...

If you can crawl, and reach the distant bathroom,

And don your running gear without a sound.

If neither family, nor sleeping folk awaken

As you boldly venture, to your running ground

If you can brave the rain, the cold , the morning

With each mile of your distance, bravely run,

The Earth is yours and everything that's in it...

And what is more... You are a RUNNER, son!

[HeatherGrrr Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Love this, hehe!

[marco83 in reply to Oldfloss]

nice and so true

[Sandraj39 Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Lovely, Oldfloss!

[HeatherGrrr Graduate10]

I finally got back out there this morning after a week and a half of not bothering to go. I don't know why I lacked the motivation, because I still felt like I wanted to run. I had a very lazy week and a half in general - no bad thing in itself from time to time I think, but I really didn't want it to drag on any longer.

My anxiety got worse while I wasn't running, and that then turned into anxiety about running - feeling nervous to get back out there. I had an awful knot in my stomach every morning when the alarm went off, and just felt like I couldn't face it.

By this morning I was well beyond my usual bargaining tactics (just put your gear on and do a little warm up walk, then you can go back to bed if you don't feel like it still), and I actually had to tell myself I had to do it, no excuses, no fear. I love running, and I was worrying that if I didn't get back out there I might stop completely, growing too scared to try again.

Obviously it was all fine and there was nothing to worry about! I did a gentle but still invigorating half hour 5k, and actually smiled up at the sky as it started to rain (cooling me down wonderfully!). I can still do it. I can still jog around and not collapse.

And now - of course - I feel a million times better, and hopefully I'll get back out there for parkrun on Saturday with my old sense of excitement rather than worry!

Thanks for the inspiring post, it is very reassuring to know that other people struggle sometimes (even though we love running really!)!

[Rhedwr in reply to HeatherGrrr]

This is pretty much my story from earlier this week. Hadn't run for more than 2 weeks and was so worried that I had lost the plot. But the lovely peeps on C25K community booted me up the bum and I did it!! I'm even considering Parkrun on Saturday.

Glad you found your mojo too 🏃🏻🎉

[HeatherGrrr Graduate10 in reply to Rhedwr]

Do parkrun! It's fantastic

[90ldfinch]

I have to have all my running kit and technology laid out, ready to wear, the night before.

If I try to talk myself into not bothering, I tell myself "well, all the gear is there, ready & waiting, might as well just do it", etc.

If the kit isn't there, I'll waste half an hour agonising over what to wear, then thinking of a dozen things I could be doing instead, and it becomes a right hassle.

[marco83 in reply to 90ldfinch]

good strategy

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate10]

I try to get up at the same time every morning, whether it's a running day or not. On non-running days I walk. That way I don't have the arguments in my head like "I'll run tomorrow, I'm too tired today. Just an extra half hour. It's bucketing it down I can't go out in that" and all the other excuses my brain thinks up. I have to get up whether for a walk or a run. Full stop. The only excuse is a thunderstorm (and that has happened!) - oh and Brexit. On that day I got up but got stuck on the news until it was too late to run.

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

It can be hard sometimes...but you say it was cold? I would have leaped out of bed for a run in the cold!! I think the trick is to just go, at the first sign of any mental excuse...just go!! Anyway, well done on your 10miler. That is fantastic! 🙂

[marco83 in reply to Sandraj39]

what can I say i am Italian, not built to run below 10

However I like it when I am outside and indeed probably I am going to agree with you that it was enjoyable, not cold. But it felt cold in bed...

[GoogleMe Graduate10]

My 'secret' is that if it is supposed to be a run day I put on my big unlovely firm control knickers first thing. Eventually I get fed up of having to wear them every day and go for a run so I can get them off, and have a day off them the next day. Or start to run short of them...