Sorry for shouting. This morning I went out for my third run of the week - the last of the WEEK 7 series. Twas an epic FAILURE! I don;t know what it was, but I just couldn't do it. Here's the story.....
Saturday morning. My lie in morning after a weeks mega pressure at work making movies for the general public to go and see and then say "That was sh** wasn't it?"!!! I knew I was running this morning but I couldn't get up. I looked at the clock at 8.30am and thought "Five more minutes....". I couldn't get up. I snoozed and got comfy next to Mrs Dan and just didn't want to leave my pit of warmth and snuggle'ness. Eventually one of the cattens came in and attacked my foot under the duvet and I had to get up. Thanks Tallula.
Eventually got up and kitted out in my running gear and went down to the kitchen to swallow some juice and a spoonful of honey. I managed to break my super duper electronic juicer in the week which had been giving me glasses of green sludge to wolf down, but this time, a glass of cranberry would have to do. I was starrrrrrving! I started ENDOMONDO and then WEEK 7 podcast and off I went.
I was really not feeling "in the zone" on this run. I got to around 3K and man my legs started to feel like lead. Heavy leaden legs of heaviness that took an almighty effort to drag along. I reached the top of a long long hill and kept saying out loud "Push...push...push". This therapy kind of worked for a bit but then......my brain told me to stop. "Noooooo Dan, don't stop" I said to myself. But my body had other ideas. My heart sank. Week 7 Run 3 was going to be a non starter. I started running again and managed another few hundred metres and reached the riverside Thames path. A bloke walking along in front of me spurred me on as he smoked heavily on his woodbine and made me feel "At least I don't smoke!".
"Come on Dan. Just a few hundred metres to go and we can...."
I stopped. Exhausted. And my legs felt even heavier. Heavy to the point of hardly being able to walk. I was hungry too. Tummy empty. The cranberry juice and honey had long ago been used up and I suddenly realised what the term "running on empty" actually meant! I tried to run again but if any of you had seen my efforts you'd have gone "That's patheeeeeeeeetic!" So I walked home the last K and decided to think positive.
This was not a disaster. I could redo this run again next week. And once I had, I'd move on to the next week. WEEK 8. I am determined to get back to my 5K in under 30 mins fitness levels and if a bad run kicks me in the nu*s now and again, I'd damned well return and kick it back! This runs stats had been 5K in 36 odd minutes. A long way from my titanic 27'28 back in September.......
I walked / hobbled home and was aghast at a lady who was out on a run and jogged past me, chatting away to herself, only to realise that she was on a call. Who the hell phones someone for a chat when you're out running???? I ask you!
Thank you for reading and listening. I'm gonna whoop week 7's ass again soon and let you know how I get on. Lotsaluv
Dan
Written by
danzargo
Graduate
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We all get days like that, considering my personal best 5k is 32mins, I'd be really happy with 36 on a bad day, but if you know what you can do, it does get a little disheartening. Laura does say that some runs are better than other, and sometimes there's no rhyme or reason... So just draw a line and give it another go!
Laura says a rubbish run is better than no run at all. I can't run in the morning, basic inability to get out of bed unless I absolutely have to,, but i manage better in the evenings. Tomorrow is another day.
Well done for getting out there.... And 36 mins isn't bad considering all that walking... I wonder if you need to slow it down a bit... A really slow jog and then build up, that way your muscles will have a chance to get warm and not feel so heavy too?
Just a thought... It sounds like you are quite a speedy runner judging on your PB.. I could only ever dream to get that! Oh and get a mantra... Mine really helps me when it's tough...
JuJu the Panther Woman! Do you know what? I do feel I'm going soooo slow these days and have physically slowed myself down so any slower I might be walking! But You're right of course - perhaps I should run really slow for 3.5K and then slowly build up for the last K and a half? worth a go.
Do mantra's really work though? I tried saying "push" over and over again and STILL stopped for a walk!
I think you might find that helps....then say to yourself you can go for it after half way when everything has warmed up nicely... My mantra is ' push that body, punish that body' and it does work as I'm telling my body it's going to get a hammering! Running is not easy!!!!!
I agree. Well done for getting out. You are basically coming back from injury. Being out there is good. Like you say if you have got used to a bit more food before you go out that could make a massive difference.. Good luck for your next run.
I recognise this run... I've only had one like that so far but it was horrible. So you have my sympathies. The bit where you say you legs were heavy to the point of hardly being able to walk let alone run was the bit I found hardest when it happened to me. I am pretty sure the cause was low blood sugar though so I think your comments about 'running in empty' are accurate. So I think you need to get your juicer fixed Dan, keep swallowing the green sludge and get back out there in a couple of days to give it another go.
I think you were indeed running on empty, both in terms of food/energy and of your body telling you it really, really didn't want to do this run. The hard-to-get-out-of-bed symptoms after a hard week are telling you something. Let Dr OldNed diagnose that, in the northern vernacular, tha'rt pooped! But still you achieved (word carefully chosen) a run of 5K in 36 mins. Dat's not so bad, my man. No-one is finding it easy in these cold, short days. Just getting out at all is an achievement (that word again!) so feel better about it and live to run another day.
You are too kind Dr Ned. Thank you for your insightful diagnosis. You're right of course....I'm pooped! The good news is that I've bought a new juicer, so can now make my Power Sludge packed with more vitamins and stuff to keep me fuelled. Gonna try another run tomorrow morning!
Hey Danaroo! I've been out of the loop for awhile - so wasn't aware of your injury problems, but hey, you've always been a speedy one - you need to train your body back up - I'm managing to build my mileage up but my speed is getting worse and worse (which is saying something! I've always been a right slow-coach!). But like others have said, just getting out there, on these cold wintry nights and days is an achievement in itself. Whatever is achieved after getting out the door is a bonus. Totally know about the 'running on empty' - good to hear you've got a new juicer on order. Chin up, don't let a bad run get you down and keep on running. xxx
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