Training season is starting to pick up for the fall and winter races. This means you will be running more and for longer distances. I have some ideas to share with you on how to keep running when you want to quit. Those days are going to happen. You will have some good runs, some great runs, and some awful runs. It happens to everyone. Here’s how to deal with it.
Embrace The Suck
It’s funny to say this, but running can suck! I know that every time I run, the first mile to a mile and a half suck. My body has to take time to get in the groove. Running in the heat is also not my favorite time of year to run. But training in the summer leads to PRs in the fall.
There is excitement when you begin running and you want to run every day. But you do have to pace yourself and there will be a time when that excitement wears off and you may dread an upcoming run. When I have a long run on my calendar, I start to feel anxious about it several days prior to the run.
To conquer this fear, I think about the route I want to take, the podcasts or music I want to add to my playlist, and what fuel I plan to test out.
Tame The Monkey Brain
Jeff Galloway has a few tips on how to stop your brain from getting away from you and telling you lies. Start to play games with your brain and set up little goals you can achieve during your run. For instance, set a goal on 3 mailboxes ahead of you, once you reach that mailbox, you will have a sip of water.
If you are running in a race, pretend you are throwing an elastic band around the person in front of you, and you are pulling them back towards you so you can pass them. Chunking up your run is also a great way to reduce the feeling of overwhelm when you have a lot of miles ahead of you.
You Are Learning All The Time
Training for a race is essentially what the word says. You are training to see what works and what doesn’t work in terms of fuel, gear, hydration, and motivation.
Do you know if using a gu or a gel work well for your source of fuel? Or do you need to fuel up with real food? Can you drink power ade or Nuun? Or is straight water something you need to stick to? Try using salt tabs to reduce cramping.
This is also a good time to learn what clothing works best for you when you run. Find what is your most comfortable and plan your running wardrobe around the time of year you will be running your race, and be sure to train in those clothes.
Time Off Is As Important As Running
If there is a rest day on your training plan, it’s important to take that day off to rest. It doesn’t mean you have to lay on the couch with ice all over your body. But it does mean, do not work out strenuously. Your body needs to recover and rebuild from all of the stress it’s been through while strength training or running.
Rest day is the best time to go get yourself a massage. Or reward yourself for your hard work with something special like a manicure or pedicure. But the point is, to not work out hard. Walking is ALWAYS allowed and safe to do on a rest day.
Be Kind To Yourself
Remember, you run because you enjoy it. Sometimes you may not feel like doing it, but you can get your mojo back. Don’t tear yourself down because you don’t feel like it sometimes. When that happens, try running a different route, refresh your playlist, or run with someone else! But the bottom line is, sometimes a run will be hard and you will want to quit, but you don’t have to!