Went for run tonight..... - Beginners

Twinkle

01/05/2003 at 23:35

Well, I knew it was all going too well to last! Had to go out on my own tonight and it was pants!

Went out for huge lunch this afternoon that tasted terrific but sat in my stomach like a lead balloon (didn't help) my walkman wouldn't work despite supposedly being of the non-skip variety (don't think there's any such thing) and without my son's usual words of encouragement and someone to plod alongside me, I just gave up! Should have been doing 10mins/2 mins x 4 and only managed about 14 minutes plodding altogether!

I feel so disappointed with myself. Maybe I should stop trying to increase the running bits and just concentrate on doing more repetitions of shorter times (if that makes any sense).

Does everyone have bad days when their legs just won't work?

Sammy

02/05/2003 at 00:59

Twinkle the first thing you have to do is stop beating yourself up. Every runner has bad days. I am sure the likes of Paul Radcliffe, though that may be hard to believe, has bad days.

Some days I feel that I can run forever but at other times my legs feel like lead and I just about manage half of what I am capable of.

I think the fact that you went out on your own may have made you feel less confident about your abilities.

Forget about this run and concentrate on your next run.

Graydon

02/05/2003 at 01:22

Twinkle, I agree with Sammy. Stop beating yourself up and just accept that you will have bad days. (I have more bad ones than good ones)

And whatever you do, don't try and make up for a bad run by doing too much in your next one - you'll only end up doing yourself an injury. Just put your experience yesterday to one side, and maintain your usual training schedule. By the sound of it it's served you well before this minor blip.

Froggy Jo

02/05/2003 at 08:28

Twinkle
I went out the other lunchtime and had a really bad run. I got out onto some playing fields (because around where I work is so uninspiring) and ran, but I ended up doing one minute walk for every 2 run - I just couldn't lift my legs. I felt really, really dejected, so I put my running kit on the next day and did it again, changed the route and felt much better. Just keep at it - you'll feel much better soon.

By the way, is there anyone else you could run with - a lot of the bad runs I have seem to be down to boredom more than anything else.

Keep up the good work!

Froggy Jo

02/05/2003 at 08:30

D'Oh, didn't notice the bit about your son running with you. Will try reading better next time!

Mike.

02/05/2003 at 09:12

Everybody has bad days... the good thing about bad days though is that they enable you to have good days. Without them everything would just be average and very quickly boring.

Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard physically? You certainly are mentally. Stop beating yourself up. You at least tried in the first place which is far better than not trying at all.

I usually find running after a big meal isn't a terribly good thing to do.

Floosie Sue

02/05/2003 at 09:40

There are times when every day is a bad day for me. I think it happens to us all - even the really fit ones who seem to run effortlessly every single day.

To an extent I think it's mind over matter - I find if I can get through the first 10 - 15 minutes of a run, I can finish it, however slowly. Have to confess I have run 500 yards sometimes, thought "sod this for a game of soldiers" and gone back to the gym for a sauna though!

Floosie

lazy lou

02/05/2003 at 09:46

Twinkle, the key bit to your thread was 'i went out for a run'... so what if it wasn't as enjoyable as it could have been. You tried, you've clearly improved if you're doing the schedule and as we say on here often 'its more than most of the population do!' Think about the positives: you ran for 14 minutes and you've learnt that you enjoy running with a partner plus after all this advice, you know you're not alone in having bad days! We're all here to encourage one another through the good and bad times. Keep at it!! let us know how the next run goes!

Bouncy Treefrog

02/05/2003 at 09:48

Try reading some of the messages on the FLM thread - despite managing to run 26 miles, there are people there (and I speak very definately for myself too), whose legs are just leaden at the moment.

Each training run feels like it's impossible, and we want to stop (and do stop)... but (just like you) we're out there giving it a go, because (just like you) we're that strange breed of people - runners.

So, as Sammy pointed out, everyone no matter what level they are, has bad days.

Just keep at it Twinkle, cos you're doing great!

Dippy

02/05/2003 at 09:52

Twinkle, I hope that all these posts have taught you that we all suffer from bad runs, they're what make the good ones so good. This whole week hasn't been great for me, I haven't trained as much as I should have and it didn't go as well as before but like you at least I'm trying. Anyway if you had good runs every time I think you'd probably have to deal with a lot of v. jealous forumites and at the least have to write a book telling us how you did it!!
Keep at it, I'm sure the next one will be great.

yoyo runner

02/05/2003 at 10:51

HI Twinkle

Just wanted to say well done for getting out and running-doesn't matter how far or fast. The important thing is you did it.
I had planned to go out for a run last night but got in late from work starving and ate a big meal. By the time it had settled it was dark, cold and raining and I talked myself out of going for a run. I was really disappointed with myself. So you should be really proud of yourself for getting out and doing it.
Much more prepared today-brought a couple of bananas into work to munch on late-afternoon and have running gear in car so can get out straight from work. Sure I'll feel much better after that than I did after an evening slumped on the couch!!!

MJ

Twinkle

02/05/2003 at 13:12

Just want to say thanks to all of you for your kind messages - I feel much better today. I've decided to take your advice to heart and just put yesterday down to experience. Im going to go out again tomorrow morning with my son and I'm sure I can get back on track. I knew teenage boys could be useful for something and mine's a little star!

You guys are great :-)

Velociraptor

02/05/2003 at 19:18

Twinkle, well done.

Shelly-lynn Florence Glover, who is an eminent Americal running coach, suggests that of every five runs, one will be a real stormer, three will be OK, and one will be a bummer. You had a bummer. It happens. Look upon it as having got a bad run out of your system. I think bummers are quite a random phenomenon, but there are plenty of theories about the cause (fatigue, nadequate fuelling and suchlike).

I've had two bummers this week (I'm one of those post-FLM leaden-leggers that Marzipan Treefrog mentions), but a rather good run today.

Keep up the good work. Happy running!

Cheers, V-rap.

Kitanda

03/05/2003 at 09:59

Twinkle, I can so relate to your experience. I've been running for about 2 months now and I've had two really crap runs. (See previous posts) One of those was after having a larger than usual lunch which sat in my stomach. Even though I left 4 hours before running, I could feel it bouncing around. I just completely ran out of energy after 6 mins running, and ended up walking the rest of the session.

I felt totally demoralised, but like you , I posted on here and got loads of support and encouragement. My next run was a blinder and I felt like I could run forever. I've found that every run is different and you never get the same feeling every time.

At the end of the day, even if you end up walking for most of your session, you're still doing a helluva lot more than 75% of the population, and that in itself is great.

Just put this last run behind you and look forward to the next one. I was a bit apprehensive after my really crappy one, but there was no need to be.

Are you a morning runner or an evening one? I go at all different times of the day, but find my best runs are morning ones.

Keep up the good work.

Twinkle

03/05/2003 at 21:24

Well, it's funny you should say that, Kitanda - got up early this morning just so I could have some toast and then went for my run about an hour later and, guess what.. it was brill! Maybe I'm a morning runner? Followed the plan I should have done for Thursday (run 10/walk 2, then 8/2, 10/2 and 8/2) = 44 minutes in total and we covered 5.7km!

We followed the same route we did last time we were on the plan (across Blackheath) and went even further in the same time so I could be sure I was back on track!

I felt so much better - still had energy left at the end and kept my heart rate under control.

Thanks again to everyone for your support - couldn't do this without you all :-)

joanne wiggins

02/06/2005 at 09:53

I have just done the Great Manchester Run and had been training really hard for the day. Had been doing really well and did a practice run on the Tuesday finishing the 10k in under 51 mins. On the day felt crap, nerves got the better of me and only finished in over 54 mins. I really felt like giving up ! Having read all of the above though it has made me feel a whole lot better and will start trying again !!

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