The brain gremlins won today

[trogdelight]

Feeling really deflated. w8R1 had started badly as I couldn't download the podcast today...the website seems to have been changed. I downloaded the APP instead. I haven't got any music on my phone so it was just the voice at the start and then silence. Anyway, I got to around 5 minutes when I was faced with a dog with no apparent owner on a narrow path. This held me up for about 30 seconds before the owner appeared. I never got back into any kind of rhythm and the brain gremlins came in more and more. I walked for a bit at 10 minutes and at 14 just stopped running. I'm not sure why, but my brain just seemed to sabotage me and tell me that I was a failure.

What do I do next? I really want to get there with only two weeks to go. Can I run again tomorrow or should I wait till Monday?

[Eiralas Graduate]

I'm so sorry your run got scuppered by that dog Brings back memories of an enormous, unpleasant, black poodle that used to hang around in the road near my parents house and growl at me when I got off the bus from school. Please don't lose heart. I would take a rest day or two (you still did some running so you need to rest and repair your muscles), and see if you can either find and download the podcast or sort out some music on your phone.

Then just tackle the run again, and don't let your brain tell you you can't do it because it went wrong last time. It went wrong due to circumstances beyond your control. You know you can run for 25 mins as you've done all of wk 7, so if it helps pretend you are just doing another 25 min run and then you just tack on another 3 mins at the end- no matter how slowly. Your body can do it, you just need to convince your mind that you can.

[Flaraflarkin Graduate]

Ouch! I'd say get back on it as soon as - I'm saying that because I know if it was me, the longer I left it the stronger the gremlins might get 👹 Today the conditions weren't right for you, tomorrow is another day 😊 You can do this! 👊

[ancientrunner Graduate]

Sometimes it's just doesn't go right. You know you're not a failure - you wouldn't have got this far. You did a fair bit of running so I would rest up, try not to dwell on it and go again Monday. Good luck.

[MutleyShuffle Graduate]

Bad days happen to all of us, I'd say rest up and then carry on as usual, and maybe sort some music out for your phone - I find it really helps. You will get there, smash those gremlins! 👾

[Hidden]

Bless you. Don't be disheartened. You can do this - you know you can. I'm in admiration of anyone who has got past W6 coz I'm struggling with it & it gives me hope that people have moved on. We all, as you know, have good runs and not so good runs. I would give it at least a days rest if not 2 & then repeat that run. You will absolutely smash it next time out. Good luck & keep us posted.