Almost defeated 😦

[JoolieB1]

I was going on well after graduating a couple of years ago and was running four times a week, 3 x 5 and a 10 kilometre. I just started to feel out of sorts, weight increased, unable to get work and dropped down to run-walking. Then a new job with strange hours interrupted me and now this week, haven't been out because it was lashing down when I wanted to run. I don't want to be a failed runner. Planning on running on Monday and doing 5k no matter what (working 7 am til 9.30 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), will run again Friday and then Sunday, hope it works. Any tips?

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

Don't under-estimate the length of time it takes to get used to a new job Joolie. A new environment, new people, new processes, a new boss 😏 different hours maybe. Plus you have the pressure of proving yourself in this new environment and performing well. I use to be a trainer for this "stuff" and one of the points I made to companies is it takes about six months for a person to settle properly in a new job so don't be hard on yourself with the running thing. You've been through a lot.

You're just going through a temporary blip but you've said you'll run on Monday no matter what. That doesn't sound defeatist to me but the words of a dedicated runner 🙂

[pollyp1 Graduate10]

Pretty much what Irishprincess said. I have very erratic runs: the longest I've gone between is 23 days (I did 5k my first run out) and I'm staring at 19 because I don't think I'll run again until Thursday. Even when I run regularly it's usually only twice a week and nowhere near regular 5Ks. And yet I still think of myself as a runner. I know that when life and my body permit I run more regularly (scuppered recently by non-running related cramp and sciatica and far to much studying!) and I can't wait to get back to it. Don't beat yourself up. There's a big difference between being a failed runner and recognising that sometimes running has to fit around life, rather than trying to make your life fit around running. You'll get back to it.

ps: teeny, tiny little thought: after 15 months I've never got into running every other day, despite how much I like the thought - do you think maybe you hit a little bit of burn-out?

[Maddee_6333 Graduate10]

I think to be a failed runner, you'd have to be sitting there, every day, really not wanting to go out to run. Which you're not.

Hoping you can figure out a routine that fits in with your new job, quite quickly. 🏃‍♀️

[IannodaTruffe Graduate10]

Congratulations on the job, Joolie and good to hear that you are going to be running again soon.

[ancientrunner Graduate10]

Good luck with your run- don't put yourself under pressure, just a couple of k is a start back and keeps your legs going..

[pollyp1 Graduate10]

Oh yes: congrats on the new job!!

[misswobble Graduate10]

You can run in the rain 😃 I did last night and it was a welcome relief from the hot sticky runs of late 🏃‍♀️🙂

[JoolieB1 Graduate10]

I don't mind rain mid run but actually getting soaked before I get going is not going to happen!!! I woke up at silly o'clock this morning and managed to run 5k with no walk breaks! Feel happy with that so many thanks for your encouragement. It is obviously a mental rather than a physical issue because I just did run 5k! Will run again tomorrow, then Friday. Work is taking over the middle of the week. Phew!

[Theziggy in reply to JoolieB1]

Well done you!!!! And you are by no means a failed runner - why? because you were thinking about running and wanting to run.

[Millsie-J]

Well done on getting out again Joolie! Any run is better than no run so maybe sticking with the shorter ones until things settle will be the answer!

Well done with the new job!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10]

Sorry to hear you're struggling a bit, what I'd do is choose a nice little route, somewhere I really like, and find easy. Then I'd do a few short runs, better a short success than a long unfinished run. You need to build your confidence up again. I know you'll get back to it again, if push comes to shove you could do, say, one session of each week of C25K. Best of luck xx

[Anniemurph Graduate10]

Congrats on the new job, JoolieB1 , and for getting back into running again I have had many blips, some longer, some shorter, but running is always there in the background. We are not professional athletes so it doesn't really matter that we fit running around our lives, as long as we keep going. I hope you enjoy it again. Come back and tell us all about it. Happy running

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate10]

I was wondering how you were doing, as you'd disappeared from the scene a bit. Had you maybe been pushing too hard with running 4x a week? You were doing 25k every week and that is quite demanding. You just need to get overtired, pick up a bug and suddenly it starts getting difficult, you end up run/walking, the runs get shorter, you're still tired and things spiral out of control. If at all possible I would just try getting out there 3x a week and slowly building up again.

As has been pointed out, we are all amateurs doing this for fun and health reasons. Every run is a win. Good to see you back!

[JoolieB1 Graduate10]

Have you been watching me, that is what happened! I think fitness levels are affected by many things, confidence, disappoint,nets, eating, weight, weather and having a goal! Need to keep going and get back on track because being a non runner is simply not happening, C25K took a lot of hard work, not wasting all the sweat and pain

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate10 in reply to JoolieB1]

I've done it myself, so know exactly what it feels like. I started running on my own years ago, but got into that spiral of defeat relatively quickly. C25k was the first time where I got up to a level I can sustain and improve over a long period of time. If necessary I can always do it again, but I don't want to get into that situation again!

[JoolieB1 Graduate10]

Wise words, lesson learnt the hard way. Well done for keeping going. I have used walk breaks from time to time but all too often, they have used me, leading to me not being able to keep going for 5k. I am going to slow down, warm up and cool down well and breathe so I have plenty of oxygen flowing round my body

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

So, so ,much going on and everything comes together to present us with a massive issue.. or seemingly so.

I think many of us feel and empathise what is happening to you..but... you are a runner...

Be kind to yourself... three runs... just three

Maybe a short one, a 5K :)and maybe a, just see what happens, run...? And... and you know what I am gonna say don't you? Slow, steady and just enjoy the feeling again x

[JoolieB1 Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Good idea, that sounds like a plan!!

[Irish-John Graduate10]

My last job did not last very long. Boy, did I feel stupid and slow and OLD in it. could not figure out why either. Then a pal intervened.

Pointed out that I had been in my previous Post almost 8 years and done - by any standard - 'superbly'.

Went from that to this new place that was totally unlike anywhere I had ever been - and went from being the 'go to guy' to having to learn totally new protocols and operations.

Had forgotten what it was like to be the "FNG" it had been so long since I was that - and thereby saw myself as 'inadequate' rather than 'starting from scratch'

It made sense and let me take the awful pressure from the job and myself I had brought to it.

Same with Running after the first time I had to take a break. Was fretting about 'lost stamina' and so forth until I realised that I was 'restarting' the first day i went back out. changed my attitude from 'if I can't run as well as I did before I am a failure' to 'here we go again - but won't take anything like as long as when I had NEVER run and I also have the advantage that I've done this before"

Slow and steady, at your own pace. The basics never change whether it be Ultras or Day one Week One

Glad you are going to be running with us again, wishing you many happy miles but hope you don't feel you have to do them ALL on Monday to enjoy your run

[Bluerockdragon Graduate10]

Congratulations on the new job. Use the strange hours to your advantage. If you're a morning runner, on the days you start late or don't work, calendar longer runs. On the days you have work and still have time to run, calendar short, speed runs. On the days you don't have time to run, don't.

I work weird hours too, sometimes 12 hours including train travel, sometimes 9 hours because I fit my full time hours into 4 days. Sometimes I've worked all my hours by Thursday afternoon so relax a bit and start late on Friday. It is possible to fit running in around weird hours, though I rarely manage to run more than twice a week when I've a lot of travelling.

Good luck and remember, variety is the spice of (running) life