Don't be too hard on yourself!

[Ljb71]

I often see posts on here from people feeling disappointed in themselves because they can't go further or faster, because they had a bad run or because others seem to be doing better.

Today I went out for my run and right from the start, my legs felt heavy. Sometimes after 10 minutes or so I settle into the run and it starts to flow, but not today. 15 minutes came and went and it was no better but I kept going, fighting the voices in my head telling me to give up and go home. I kept going until 26 minutes and I had to give up feeling totally wrecked. As I walked home I was disappointed in myself for not going as far or as long as I had planned. I know lots of factors have affected me - not drinking enough yesterday, not sleeping brilliantly the past few nights, being back to my teaching job after the summer off when I know September is always exhausting.

I was still being hard on myself but then I thought, why? I shouldn't be. I was out exercising, I ran for almost half an hour when at the start I could hardly run for a minute. I covered 3.4k running and then about another 1.5 k walking home. Not the most free, relaxed or flowing run, but a run none the less.

I guess at the end of this long post, I just want to encourage those of us having a bad run or a bad day to not be so critical of ourselves. We're still learning and building up our stamina. We're exercising our hearts and getting fitter. We're giving ourselves headspace from the stresses of our day to day lives and as the little picture I've posted says, we've had the courage to start.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Great post... love the quote at the top too.

Thanks

#everyrunhasapurpose

[Ljb71 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

That's so true - as a teacher I often tell my pupils we learn more when we find things difficult.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Ljb71]

Indeed... and when it’s impossible, we work until it isn’t. Whatever age you teach, those kids will one day comprehend something that’s impossible to them right now, and later in life they’ll do something or take something for granted that we now think is impossible. So, nothing is... I wish I’d believed that at school of course!

[Jogunlikely Graduate]

Thanks for posting x love the piccy/quote 👍

And good on you for stopping the negative thoughts and recognising your achievement 👏👏👏 we are often way to hard on ourselves x

[Ljb71 Graduate in reply to Jogunlikely]

Thought the quote was great. We are often our own worst critics! We are all doing really well

[Fabulous450 Graduate]

Love this reminder Ljb! You’re so right. Thank you!! Happy running! 😍❤️

[Ljb71 Graduate in reply to Fabulous450]

You too 🤗.

[Jundal Graduate]

This. Just... Yes. Remember the fight at the end of the third matrix film?

Smith: Why do you fight me? You know you cannot win.

Neo: Because I choose to.

And that is why we run. We cannot run forever. We cannot run into a dream, and never stop. But we CAN run.

Because we choose to.

[Fabulous450 Graduate in reply to Jundal]

Yes Jundal!! 👌🏽 Totally agree! I’m off for my run now.

[Ljb71 Graduate]

Yes it is definitely a choice we have to make - mental as well as physical willpower.

[Gillybeans1 Graduate]

I think that the people who have done C25k like us - we couldn't run for more than a minute at a time should be proud of our achievements. We shouldn't get downhearted when we have a bad run. I always try to turn it around and think a bad run today is better than no run today. We are all different and we all achieve at different rates so please please please don't be hard on yourselves just do your best and remember how far you have come.

[Tkaye Graduate]

Thank you, needed to hear this today.

[steviej99 Graduate]

Great post Ljb. Good luck for the rest of the programme

[Ang33333 Graduate]

Love the quote. So true! 👟👟