Long Run FAIL.

I had a really bad long run today and it’s put me in a bad mood :( Let’s start with yesterday. I had planned on doing my 11 miler yesterday. I hydrated really well Monday, rested, and was ready to go the next morning. Until, I woke up and realized it was going to be raining ALL DAY. Now, I guess I could have gone out in the rain and ran but I’m not a fan of running in the rain and Wednesday’s forecast looked great so I decided to wait one more day. First mistake, I did a treadmill run yesterday. I told myself that 3 miles shouldn’t mess with my long run the next day but I was wrong.

 

I even went to dinner last night with friends and didn’t stuff myself or drink any wine due to my plan for my long run the next morning. I went to bed early too! So basically, I was ready to kick 11 miles butt! Sadie woke me up around 7 am and I got up, fed her, let her out, and ate 1/2 half a cliff bar for pre run fuel. Mistake number 2, I laid back down in bed. As I laid there, all I could think about was how I DID NOT want to get up and run 11 miles. I thought about changing it to another day but kept talking myself out of it until I fell back asleep and didn’t wake up until 9:30!! Remember, I went to bed at 10 and I don’t do well with more than 8 hours of sleep. Just makes me feel even more tired.

 

So I finally drug myself out of bed around 9:30, got ready, and drove to my long run place. The whole time all I could think is that I don’t want to run, I don’t want to run. Now sometimes when I think like this, my mind changes once I start running, but today I was dreading this a ton more than usual. So, reluctantly I start my run. I felt ok the first mile except that my brain kept saying “I don’t want to be doing this, just go home”. And after fighting with myself for another mile or so I start to get frustrated. I felt mentally and physically tired. I was also STRAVING since I hadn’t eaten anything except 1/2 a cliff bar at 7 am and by now it’s almost 11! My legs were sore and heavy and I was just not into this run. So I told myself to just run back to the car and I could stop at the 4 mile mark. And that’s what I did. I feel like a long run failure.

 

I have been super tired this week. It’s not normal for me to go to bed at 9:30-10 and sleep until 9- 9:30 every morning this week! And I just haven’t felt like running the past couple days. I think I am getting a little burnt out on my training. This is my 11th week of training and I am doing a total of 16 so I feel like it’s ok to take a mini break this week. I am planning on taking off the next 2-3 days and reattempting my 11 miler Sat or Sunday.

 

I hate having awful runs, I really do but I realize that’s what makes your good runs so great! Right now my body is tired and achy like I ran 11 miles! I don’t know what’s up!! I think a couple rest days will make me feel a lot better! Thanks for listening to me vent!!

 

How do ya’ll decide when you need unplanned rest days?

Posted in: on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at at 1:18 PM  

5 comments:

  1. Lisa On October 28, 2009 at 3:39 PM Wrote

    I think that happens for a reason. It's your body's way of telling you that it needs rest. You did the right thing by coming back. No need to risk injury. Next time will be better.

     
  2. RunningLaur On October 28, 2009 at 10:29 PM Wrote

    I think every one hits this point in a training schedule - it's not just you! I like to think that I'm getting bad days out of the way before the race, since there has to be a bad day some where. A few days off will let you get everything back together, and you'll be fine!

     
  3. Susan On October 29, 2009 at 9:13 AM Wrote

    I just listen to my body to determine if I need a rest day. Pain? Rest day. Inability to keep putting one foot in front of the other? (From a mental standpoint) Turnaround and go home. Luckily those don't happen too often.

    I hope you rock the long run this weekend after some rest!

     
  4. Erin, Consider It Joy blog On October 29, 2009 at 9:38 AM Wrote

    I've been feeling like this too. Just not feeling it this week. I'm blaming the weather and lack of sunlight:)

     
  5. kristen On October 30, 2009 at 9:23 AM Wrote

    Smart move pulling back. There are times when you have to force your way through it and other times when you have to just take a break. Only you can know which is which. Don't worry this wont set your training back.

    p.s. what are you going to do if it's raninin on race day? I say you should start running in the rain!

     

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