It's amazing what a difference my frame of mind makes

[useitorloseit]

My last two runs have been really good and unusually enjoyable. The sun was shining but it wasn’t too hot, I had bought some new comfortable summer running gear which looked nice and felt right – nothing rubbed or flopped about or rode up or fell down. The running gods were smiling on me.

Then this morning I woke up and looked out the window: grey, breezy, miserable and cold. Pah! I am a person whose mood is disproportionately affected by the colour of the sky, and spring is a particularly trying time for me as our climate here offers us glimpses of the summer to come and then plunges us into winter chills again. I’m up and down like a yoyo!

So, I went out feeling cold and miffed, and it set the tone for the run. I set off too fast as I just wanted to get it over with (fast being a relative term here) and was pooped by 1k. I kept going trying to run slow and steady and made it to my planned 5k, but I hated every minute of it and was just glad to get home.

Anyone else have this problem? If I won the lottery I’d move to somewhere with a predictable weather pattern and a decent supply of sunshine but not too hot for running!

[ju-ju- Graduate]

I think alot of people are fair weather runners... Are you a gym member? Could you head for the gym on grim days so you still get your training in but not the gloom of being out in it??!

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to ju-ju-]

I still go out,  but I just feel fed up!  I'm actually better mentally in the winter because I expect grey manky weather. Hey Ho.  Not long till 'summer' now ... keep going Susan .....

[millwalki8 Graduate]

I love a frosty morning, cant be doing with the heat

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to millwalki8]

Agreed.  Blue sky, sunshine and not too icy, right amount of clothes.  Cushty!

[Clovers]

Ah, I'm sorry, that sounds really frustrating. I get it, bad weather definitely affects my enthusiasm and motivation. On the other hand I don't like being too hot so don't always mind grey days. Half the time I find if you wake up in a flat mood then you kind of expect the rest of the day to follow suit. If you can think of the mood as an impermanent thing then you might find you're better able to shake it. 

Don't be downhearted though, you should feel awesome for going out despite the crappy weather and getting to the end without giving up!

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to Clovers]

I know - I'm so rubbish at mastering my mood!  My husband of 24 years says he has become an expert in managing expectations (love him - the man deserves a medal for living with me all these years).

I just mowed the lawn and I feel a bit perkier now.  Why so, I hear you cry?  Yes, in addition to my annoying depressive personality, I'm a bit OCD too - mowing stripes into a previously messy lawn is a surprisingly good pick-me-up for a weirdo like moi!).

[Clovers]

Haha, not weirdo at all, we all have OCD tendencies, I know I do! Add that to a general anxiety and IBS and you have a wonderful mixture. Glad to hear you're feeling perkier, I feel inspired to do some gardening now, your mood is clearly rubbing off on me!

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to Clovers]

Well hurrah - I don't think I've ever been a positive moodmeister before!

[justkeepgoing Graduate]

I love to run in the rain.  I'm only on W7R3 though so may well grow tired of it!!

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to justkeepgoing]

I don't have a problem with rain.  I think this morning was just a big old downer after such a bright and cheery couple of spring days!

[justkeepgoing Graduate in reply to useitorloseit]

Aye.  There is something extremely uplifting about a blue sky for sure

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Huge well done for getting out there, despite everything!

I think.. play mind games.. you know like the pesky gremlins do with us.. ignore the grey, think blue, ignore the cold, think hot...

i was tempted to stay a'bed this morning... supportive husband... " Just go on, get out there, you will feel better for it..." and I did. 

Come on you... the next run will be better...

Remember..it's only cold if you're standing still

PS

Bet your lawn looks great!

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Oh it does! Peeing down now so it's getting a good watering too! X

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to useitorloseit]

Nailed it.. well done you....

[AncientMum Graduate]

God, Looseit, I've just said the same think to my hubby. If I won the lottery I'd buy somewhere warm at the seaside. My bl**dy asthma is awful at the moment and I just know that a week or two by the sea in a warm climate would sort everything out nicely. The leaden Suffolk skies are definitely not ticking the right boxes. No possibility of running for me, but a bit of sunshine just makes everything seem better. Fingers crossed things perk up again next week xx

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Does the pollen level affect your asthma? I'm lucky and don't suffer, but my husband and son are feeling the effects of the lovely few spring days which have brought out all the new growth and tree blossom.

[AncientMum Graduate in reply to useitorloseit]

At the moment it feels like everything affects my asthma: pollen, dust,cats,dogs, alcohol, exercise, you name it. I'm not normally quite so bad, just been unlucky this year I think. x

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

I must be a bit weird ( ha ha, no one ever said that) I prefer running when it's cool and grey! My eyes are very sensitive to light, even with sunglasses I struggle, that there's the misting up, and slipping down my nose with the sweat etc. And rain? I lurve the rain....

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Yes I get the thing about running in cooler conditions.  It's just that my inner demons seems to disappear when the sun comes out and I feel full of the joys, then when I'm plunged back into 'winter' my mood swoops down in an inexplicable way.  I guess I just had the hump yesterday, and a poor run ensued.  The sun is out again today, so all's well in my world   No run today, let's hope for a cool sunny morning tomorrow.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate in reply to useitorloseit]

It was so hot here last year, high 30s C from June to September, and so much unbroken sun. I ended up sprinting from patch of shade to patch of shade...I do like it though when we get those little fluffy clouds and the sun is out! It's much the same here as UK, it was lovely when we arrived, comfortable, sunny....now it's grey and gloomy and chilly again, and for the predictable future too! I don't mind running when it's like that, but it's not laundry weather and I really need some clean nix.....

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

I got my first full line of washing dry outside this week (my garden is north facing so this is a big thing for me in spring).  It felt fabulous.  Isn't is strange the things which make us happy??!! (sweeping generalisation - I think this is a girl thing ...).