The infamous 'bad run' syndrome

[TurboTortoise]

Well that was grim! I was really looking forward to my run last night but it was awful! It hurt, my breathing was all ragged, I kept getting a stitch and the gremlin on my shoulder kept telling me to bail out. Also there were midges everywhere (coughed one up afterwards) and the shuffle genie in my iPod kept choosing tracks that grated on my nerves (apart from 'should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements...', which did make me laugh). I'm not even sure of time and distance as Endomondo lost the signal.

After the enormous high of a race I did on Saturday I feel I've thumped down to earth. I hadn't run since the race because I was trying to shake off the tail end of a cold, and I don't know quite what I was expecting but the contrast was huge. I'm also surprised at how much it's made me question the progress I've made.

However I was re-reading Realfoodieclub's post from the other day about 'bad' runs: how sometimes they happen for a reason, sometimes for none at all, and how you can't linger on them too long or over-analyse. They happen to everyone at some point and you have to put them behind you and carry on. The more you run, the more good runs you chalk up that proportionately outweigh the bad. (I'd add to that that the only real 'bad' run is one where you get injured.) Last night was no fun, but I carried on, I'm in one piece, and glad I went out and did it. This is a really helpful forum in so many ways, particularly when you're feeling a bit deflated – so thank you!

[andystev Graduate]

No such thing as a bad run. Some hurt more than others though! Even a run you bail on is better than no run at all. I tell myself that every time I start thinking "This is no fun!", usually brings the perspective back.

[Nerdio Graduate in reply to andystev]

I like the positive spin on this.

Does this amount to 'It's not a bad run, just not as good as the last one'

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to Nerdio]

Yes, I like the positive spin too. I didn't bail (despite having to stop to shake out the stitch a few times) so perhaps it was a good run in disguise...

[Fitfor60 Graduate]

Probably combination of having cold , anti climax of race and prep for it and 'just one of these runs' Rfc post summed it up well and think lesson I took from it was don't over analyse -just let it go and move on Easier said than done I know Hope your next run is more enjoyable On question of progress you only have to look back at week 1 !!! Think plateauing and dips are just something we have to accept and as long as we don't give up and keep plodding through the harder / disappointing parts it will all even out in the end --- bit like life really

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to Fitfor60]

I think so too - the race was SUCH a high, anything that followed was bound to be an anti-climax. Onwards and upwards!

[Hidden]

LOL at the Adele song! Sorry you didn't enjoy it but good on you for keeping going

Are you able to make a playlist of songs to run to instead? x

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I do have a running playlist of about 3hrs of music that I put on shuffle as I like the serendipity aspect of it, but fate seemed to be conspiring against me last night - apart from Adele which was just so brilliantly appropriate. There's some music that I thought might be good to run to, in theory, but it didn't work so well in practice. Or perhaps I was just in a bad mood!

[misswobble Graduate]

You have my sympathy as I had a bad run this morning too. I nearly bailed but didn't, and I tagged on another short run after I'd had a recovery walk

Sometimes everything just feels wrong, your feet, your knees, your breath, oh just about everything and you think "who am I kidding" Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr You just have to keep on and put it behind you. That's what I'm doing anyway, and as Andystev says, any run is better than no run

Your next one will be a belter! LOL

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Ah, but you DIDN'T bail out, so it was in fact a good run! Isn't it strange though how one day it feels like your feet are on fire, then for no fathomable reason you have concrete legs?

[mariabelinchon]

Thank you for sharing with us!

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to mariabelinchon]

A pleasure!

[notbad Graduate]

You absolutely steamed ahead and did great in your 10k TT, so you're entitled to be a little worse for wear later on... That's what I think anyway.

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to notbad]

You're right, I can't expect stardust and rainbows and leaping dolphins every run - and that's how that 10k felt!!

[Moosetgoose Graduate]

I had a horror the other night, did the first 18 minutes, then got a stomach cramp, walked the rest of the way back to the car hobbling and clenching !!!

can laugh now but at the time it wasnt pleasant

onward and upward though lol

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to Moosetgoose]

Oh, nightmare, poor you. I've heard this is very common, I have yet to experience it but hope I never will. Is it perhaps 'the infamous bad runs syndrome'... - sorry, sorry, I couldn't resist that!!

[Moosetgoose Graduate in reply to TurboTortoise]

lol

[Spanner67 Graduate]

Fitfor60 is absolutely right about looking back to Week 1 - I think it is so easy to forget where we all started with this. You were out there, doing something difficult, and you'll be out there again soon doing it some more so keep thinking positive thoughts and know that we all go through exactly the same. Happy running xx

[Hidden]

And today you grabbed a PB at the Parkrun! So I bet you've forgotten this 'blip' already! And you've done a 10k!