Not feeling it....

[SamMc1]

I haven't run since Friday - been waking up around 5am each morning but (like a lot of people I'm sure) have had very little sleep and have lost my motivation to run. I should have completed runs 1 and 2 of week 7 by now but..... am I letting gremlins get the better of me particularly because I had a less than positive run 3 of week 6. I need to get my first run of week 7 done before the weekend or I've wasted a week - I am feeling cross with myself now !!!

[Kallyfudge Graduate]

Go for it Sam, its part of being a runner that you have breaks and rests, go and experience how it feels to run after a rest, its definitely not a bad thing. Runs like your week 6 r 3 are also part of it, I still have bad runs and good runs, I find now that when a bad run hits its like I don't have the motivation or energy or both in the tank, what I do is try and be mindful of what I'm doing and enjoy the experience, count colours slow down till I'm comfortable and enjoy the fact I'm doing it even if I cut it short. When I'm feeling good on a run (sometimes after a rest but the run gods are fickle) I can set PBs at parkrun or whatever.

Part of running is also trying to get more of the good runs, but you will never get 100 percent. You can try it through food, rest etc. So you have just carried out an experiment to find out more about yourself by resting longer between runs, congrats! I did it before my 10k race recently. Always learn more about yourself what works what doesnt.

I guarantee you will experience both types of run, you just also develop ways of dealing with them and don't beet yourself up or give fuel to the Gremlins. Its part of the running experience and the variety of life, definitely something to enjoy.

[SamMc1 in reply to Kallyfudge]

Very wise words and the kick that I needed - thank you - I WILL go for a run tomorrow morning - no excuses and no gremlins !!

[Whatsapp Graduate]

I had a lousy night a few weeks back. My daughter was running a temperature and had been up most of the night. It was my run day (I run in the mornings) and I was tired, but boy did that run do me good - really cleared my head.

So, W6R3 wasn't great. You have three more runs the same to get out there and put that right. A bad run knocks you down, but use that as fuel for your determination that you will get out there and have a better run next time.

You are right to feel cross. Those gremlins are trying to make you feel you should stop. Show them who's boss!!

[SamMc1 in reply to Whatsapp]

Thank you - I will run tomorrow morning no matter how tired and hot I feel. Just needed someone to tell me to get on with it 😉

[Maddee_6333 Graduate in reply to Whatsapp]

Yes, be cross with the gremlins, not yourself.

[Hidden]

Hats off to anyone running in the heat at the moment. It is too much for me. I managed w7r1 on Sunday morning early but even in the evening it's been too hot for me since then. I am therefore having a planned break (so I don't have to feel bad about it) till Friday when it should be cool enough to run without keeling over.

If the forecast is the same where you are, don't beat yourself up. Just pick a time on Friday to run and go for it. I'm sure we will both do all the better for a few extra rest days.

We will make it.

[SamMc1 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I feel better knowing I'm not alone with this. The forecast here (in Devon) is cooler for Friday so worst case I should be able to get back out again then.....a bit later than I originally planned but that doesn't really matter 👍. I hope your run on Friday goes well.

[misswobble Graduate]

Get out there and kick its ass. After which you will feel epic! 👍✔️🏃‍♀️

Early or late. You decide 🙂💪

[SamMc1 in reply to misswobble]

Thanks misswobble. Going for early as suits me better. Will post once I've done it !!

[mfamilias Graduate]

The hardest part is getting your shoes on and out of the door. 'Bad' runs happen, but they are still runs. So chuck it in the f**k-it bucket and get your kit on tomorrow morning whilst it's cool - feeling bad about not running is worse than being out there arguing with your gremlin.

[SamMc1 in reply to mfamilias]

Good point - hadn't thought of it like that - thank you 👍

[KimLoulou Graduate]

I know what you mean I haven't been since Saturday but my barrier is the heat. Going tonight for wk7/R1. Are you going too?

[KimLoulou Graduate in reply to KimLoulou]

Jeez! It's too hot. 32degrees in London. Like being in a sauna. Not going to happen 👋

[SamMc1 in reply to KimLoulou]

I'm going to get out tomorrow morning around 5.30 - my week 7 Run 1 too. Hopefully it will be cooler then. Good luck to you - will look out for your next post telling us you've done it 👍

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Stop feeling cross and get out there..!!!

Hydrate well.. ( that is every day..not just run days)... warm up... ( ha...joke!)... relax into it... and go slow and steady and with every step, you squish those pesky gremlins into the ground!!!

Get out early too it will make you feel awesome!!!

You will do this..

[SamMc1 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you for your encouraging words. My alarm is set for 5.30am. I will give it my best shot 😀

[Jomarie1979 Graduate]

I think everyone is struggling with the motivation at the moment. I too have been getting less sleep.

It's also hard when your last run wasn't as good as you wanted it to be. I had this with WK6R1 and it made the gremlins shout at me "you're not cut out for running" and "you'll only give up eventually" but I got out there, turned up my music and drowned those pesky little gremlins out! I'm now due to run Wk7R3 tomorrow. It is hard but it's a battle we can win! I look forward to hearing about your run tomorrow 😊

[SamMc1 in reply to Jomarie1979]

You are 100% right. Hope your 3rd run of the week goes well 😊

[KimLoulou Graduate in reply to SamMc1]

I went tonight. Just back. No breeze even at 9:45pm on blackheath. Was hard but done. Mojo back

[SamMc1 in reply to KimLoulou]

Well done. Hope I'll be able to say the same tomorrow 😊

[Dhallsw Graduate]

I've stopped this week as I have a lung condition and the heat makes breathing hard work. I did 9 minutes of walking yesterday and it was hot and clammy. I then spent the afternoon asleep on the couch. So redoing W7R3 tomorrow now it's cooler (overslept this morning) then getting back on track Monday

[SamMc1 in reply to Dhallsw]

Hope your run went OK? I'm planning to get back on track on Monday too - we can do this 👍

[Dhallsw Graduate in reply to SamMc1]

It was hard work but I did it 28 mins next week

[Limawhite Graduate]

My last run was hard, heavy tired legs, and at one point I tripped on a paving slab and just stopped myself from plunging full length onto the pavement. That spooked me. I also had to walk a couple of times which I've never needed to do before. Since then my legs have been sore and achy. I'm going to take an extra couple of days off to recover before my next run.

[SamMc1 in reply to Limawhite]

I've had a couple of runs like that too although haven't nearly tripped over (yet!). Hope you enjoy your rest days and good luck for your next run 😀

[Limawhite Graduate in reply to SamMc1]

Thank you. I've taken 2 and a half days off and am now feeling twitchy! I feel as though if I miss another day, my body will forget how to run 5k! So I'm in my running gear and am going out now for a slow run -going to repeat w9r3 again, and aiming just to enjoy it, and not worry about the distance.

[Claudey Graduate]

Hi Sam I know exactly how you feel have no energy this week at all. I too woke up at 5.00 this morning to run but felt so tired I just lay in bed berating myself for not running. I'm just starting week 8 and those long runs are just exhausting, but I know I can do them and feel great once completed. I'm going to push myself tomorrow now the weather has cooled down and see how I feel. We both must stop feeling guilty for having a rest I'm sure it is just our bodies telling us to slow down a wee bit.

[SamMc1 in reply to Claudey]

I did push myself this morning so managed to complete my first week 7 Run. Found it exhausting but such a great feeling once I'd finished. Not loving the longer runs yet but will keep going as really want to do this - good luck for tomorrow - try to just get straight out the door without thinking about it - that helped me this morning !

[Claudey Graduate in reply to SamMc1]

Well done Sam and thanks

[Abergrad]

Well done Sam, do you listen to music whilst running? That's something I need to set up on my phone!

[SamMc1 in reply to Abergrad]

Thank you - yes I prefer running listening to music - tried running without but find I am clock watching then so the music takes my mind off the time !! I downloaded Now that's what I call running so listen to that plus other random music - seems to work for me although my taste in music is slightly dubious !!

[Spinning_22 Graduate]

I know how you feel Sam, so hot in Somerset, I've felt exhausted after work, normally running Sunday mornings and Wednesday and Friday evenings as soon as I get in but it's been too hot. I'm definitely not a morning person, so can't see myself running before work. Also found W5R3 really hard and problems with my feet have all combined to reduce my motivation which was just starting to build.

However you only seem to have only had a slight blip, understandable in the recent heat and seem ready to get back out there, good luck with the next run

Having read replies to your post, I think I will try W6R3 tomorrow, which is my next run, and sort out the foot issues.

Lots of posts on here seem to say they find going back to interval runs hard after the longer runs but I actually find them better, strange? Has anyone heard of 'Jeffing'. I was told about this at a running group, an American guy who advocates running and walking.

[SamMc1 in reply to Spinning_22]

Do let us know how your W6R3 goes. I'm actually looking forward to my next 25min run now and I didn't expect to be saying that a week ago !!

[Spinning_22 Graduate in reply to SamMc1]

Thanks, after spinning last night, felt quite positive so thought about going tonight after work. Not sure whether having Jo Wiley prompting me every so often helps or not, especially when she says things like, I know your legs feel like lead!

[SamMc1 in reply to Spinning_22]

I know what you mean. I'm listening to Sarah Millican and it is off-putting when she says "you are probably or may be feeling tired now" !!