A bad run is better than no run!

I am going to begrudgingly admit that I had a terrible, no good, awful, depressing run on Wednesday. They say any run is better than no run at all. But I beg to differ. Because a run that starts off amazing and grand, which quickly shrinks to disappointment and pain is just a bad run. And that doesn’t make anyone happy.

Plan was for a tempo run. Plan failed. I ran a nice easy one mile and at the spur of the moment, I decided I would run my tempo miles on the track. I got onto the track. It was bouncy. It was empty. It was allllllllll mine. I was really excited to be there. I ran two laps and felt great. What an amazing day! And then as I was just starting my 3rd lap, something told me to leave the track. Who knows what it was and I almost didn’t trust my gut, but in the end I did. I turned and ran off the track. 

Here’s where things go awry. As I’m leaving the track, a man enters. I thought to myself, “oh, this must be why I should leave now.” But this man was an older gentleman from the neighborhood. Really didn’t pose any threat whatsoever. (And we all know I’m the most paranoid runner ever, right?) As I got farther away and I ran along the road, I forgot all about the track and why I left. And then I just wasn’t feeling it. My run, I mean. I just kinda… stopped. I was trying to give myself a pep talk and get my head in the game. It really just wasn’t happening. So I thought, ‘heck, I’ll just do my tempo run on this road and head home.’ So I turned toward home. No biggie, right? Right.

Then I felt it. My right IT band. It wasn’t sharp and it didn’t hurt. But it definitely felt “naggy.” Like something might happen. I figured I should try to go a little faster. Nope. Still there. Then I thought maybe I ought to go slower. No change. And then it got kinda worse. 

I walked. And when I started running, even faster this time, I realized it was hopeless. There was no point in aggravating the issue. I succumbed and sadly walked home.

While I walked I decided my pain was because I haven’t been doing my strength exercises for the last few days. I also didn’t foam roll on Monday or Tuesday. As soon as I got home, I tried doing some of my lunges. Forward and side — all good. Backward? Ouch. I did some mini squats and called it a day.

I can’t help but replay my run and how badly it failed. I’m going to retry my tempo run on Friday. I can’t let these injuries win. I’ll be sure not to skip any strength or rolling sessions going forward.

But seriously, bah humbug, right?

And since I don’t want to leave you on a bummer note — I got the best email ever from one of my 5K clients on Wednesday. I sent a group email out and asked everyone to check in (I do this every few days) and I received back, “I am doing good! The runs are getting easier! I got new shoes and that seems to help a lot! I have yet to miss a run.”

This tiny little email made my heart sing. I don’t know what’s more awesome — that the runs are getting easier? That she got new shoes? (hello, new shoe day! holla!) Or that she hasn’t missed a run yet?! It’s all progress and progress makes a coach happy.

I’m grateful my Wednesday ended on a high note. I definitely need that boost. Onward, friends!

xo

True or false: A bad run is better than no run? 
True or false: There is no day better than new shoe day.

Fiiiiiiiiiine. I concede. A bad run is better than no run. 😉