Bad Run

[Monicarun]

Today was my first time that I really hated it. I was taken back to cross country run days at school when I was nearly sick from panting! Back in garden now looking like a beetroot. But I did it and MJ says I am a runner now. I know it was just a bad one but I am not looking forward to week 7 now if it is just more of the same. Still very pleased to have got this far though!

[M1ssFranks]

Well done for your massive achievement so far! Stay positive, bad runs are hard but we all have them! your next run may be more bearable.

Any thoughts on things you could change to make the next one more comfortable??

A massive well done again 👍

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Great job... the sucky run came, hit you with everything that it had, made everything harder and you’re sat in the garden victorious... be proud of that and remember it when sucky run comes back, as it always does and kick its butt again.

Usually the run after is much smoother... embrace it.

[mrrun Graduate]

If you push yourself hard it will always be ‘more of the same’. Slow right down, keep changing routes, make it new and interesting. There are way more benefits than chores here.

[Monicarun Graduate]

Thank you all. I do appreciate the feedback as this forum makes me feel like I am not doing it alone. I think better music will help next time. Time for a better Spotify list. Thanks all x

[Decker]

Nice work on pushing through a tough one. There are rough runs that happen for a multitude of reasons, but once you get through it feels good. You can consider easing your pace a little too. The important thing at this stage is making it a habit. It does get easier as you get stronger and your body used to the efforts.

[Languid_Lil Graduate]

I think you are doing brilliantly. For me, one of the things I am proudest of (and I think you should be proud of) is that at those horrible times when you feel sick and tired and everything hurts and the idea of just giving up occurs to you, you just keep going instead. That's massive!

[Ang33333 Graduate]

If it's not going well, slow right down. And slow some more if you need to. There's no prizes for speed! It's all about time. 😁😁👟👟🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌🐌

[Elfe5 Graduate]

If you are “feeling sick from panting” then you are going too fast. Slow right down, run “within yourself” so you feel like “a bit faster would be fine” and enjoy the journey. There is time to work on speed in the future if you want to. 😃

[Irish-John Graduate]

You persevered! That's great! You have the spirit of a Runner, no worries there

I really dislike the 'if you cannot have a conversation you are running too fast' advise becuase even though I now basically can trot 5K in 38 minutes very handily - I can barely gasp out 'Keep your damn dog away please' LOL.

I adjust my running to my breathing, not any 'formula' such as 'three steps for every one breath'. I get around by breathing as easily as I can and to heck with speed 'cos with my smoke and asthma and god know what I inhaled in various toxic corners of the world I will never be able to 'breathe easy' and 'be fast' anyway

I go for distance at a nice comfortable pace - which still leaves my gasping and panting. My legs are good, my lungs never will catch up

Try this though - next run set a goal of running as SLOWLY as you humanly can It's a lot harder to do that without breaking into a 'walking step' than you think...but it takes the pressure of 'time' off AND you get to see exactly what is going on with you when you run - how you're feet fall, how your body may be tensing up too much, how you might be hyperventilating instead of deeper breaths etc etc etc. It's a lot of fun and I bet your overall time will be a surprise because you will most likely be running faster than you think no matter how 'slow' you take it

It is a LOT harder to learn to run truly 'slow' than to run fast believe me Try it next time and I think you will overcome any doubts that you will graduate in good shape when you see the results.

Wishing you many happy miles in your future

[Monicarun Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Thank you Irish John. I thought I had been running slow but you are right that when I looked at the overall pace it was a lot faster than expected. I will really try to go on a go slow on Monday. I want this to be a habit so I need to find a way of making it fun. I'm just more compete than I expected!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Monicarun]

Our most complicated running adversary - is ourself

Let us know how it goes and best wishes

[emily-m Graduate]

Bad runs are sometimes just bad runs. You can look for reasons, and there might be good ones… slowing down is good, improving your breathing is too… but if it's a one-off, just chalk it up to experience and go out for the next run feeling positive. I also had my 'school cross country moment' in W6R3, but am now in W9 and doing fine. You'll get there. 😎