Just over a week ago I did a 5k run round the common, usually it's a run I can do without any problems. On this occasion I really struggled, had no energy and stopped three times to walk before giving it up around the 4K mark. It's the first time I've ever failed to complete a run and I was mortified and frustrated as I'm sure most of it was in my head.
I turned it around last Thursday by deciding I needed a confidence boost and the way to do that was to run super slow but get home without walking. I slowed down to a 7/8 min pace and bimbled around taking in the view and people watching and did the same run without a break and even sped up for the last 1km to a 5:30 pace as I had plenty in the tank.
After that confidence boost I felt back on track again and was so pleased on my 60 minute interval run yesterday to put in some decent distance (attached) but that one bad run really shook me, glad to have (mostly) banished those demons.
Written by
Cliff_H
Graduate10
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We all have runs like that Cliff and usually for no apparent reason. The weather has been a bit muggy though so perhaps that had something to do with it. But running is a mixed bag, some good runs, some bad runs and some in between. And then there are the absolutely gorgeous runs which make all the bad runs seem irrelevant 🤗
But you've put the tough run behind you and as you say, you're now back on track 🙂
Like IP says, they are part of running. Sometimes it can be when you push too hard and your body hasn't quite recovered, sometimes diet (what you had the day before), illness, and sometimes they come out of the blue. I think its wise to cut them short, let your body do what is best. My gps watch has a wrist based heart monitor and I'm seeing patterns where my resting heart rate gets quite high if I'm overtraining, rest days improve your running more than going out for a run and forcing it.
We sometimes forget what a complex and relatively finely balanced organism we are as humans. Machines are predictable - they either work or they don't and when they don't it's easy to pinpoint why not
Good days and not so good days when it comes to running but never "bad"
Glad you are back on your usual form and wishing you many happy miles in your future
I don't know how long you've been running, Cliff_H , but in my 5 year+ experience I have had many, many DNF runs, 'bad' runs, shorter-than-planned runs and v-e-r-y s-l-o-w runs. All they mean is that I think about why they might have happened and if possible, correct that in future. Sometimes it's because I am not hydrated enough, or haven't eaten properly the night before, sometimes I'm just knackered, sometimes my head isn't in the right place, sometimes I set off too fast, sometimes I don't have a plan in mind so I dither at the wrong moment, and sometimes it's something unexpected such as a herd of elk on the trail (yes, honestly - best excuse ever ).
I say that I correct the problem if possible. Of course I don't. By now I know in theory what makes a good run, and I still set off unprepared, dehydrated, under-fed, unplanned and with the wrong capris on. And sometimes those are great runs. Who knows? Just put this one down to 'one of those runs', accept that there will no doubt be another one at some point in your future, and make sure you lace up and get out there again. Happy running
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week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
