Monday, December 11, 2006

Bad runs can be good for you

My run on Sunday was a toughie - I really didn't want to do it! I woke up at 5am as usual but then kept turning off the alarm until I really had to get up at 6am. I dilly-dallied feeding the animals. I had my brekkie (porridge, honey and banana) then found all sorts of other things I just had to do before I went out. All of a sudden it was 7:30am and Mike was getting up and wondering why I was still there! Normally I'd be long gone and would have left him a note telling him my route for the day.

This was not good. My body was willing but the brain was weak. I hate days like that.

Eventually I managed to drag myself out of the door and I thought I'd be fine once I got going as it was a lovely bright day. Well, it didn't get any easier! I felt like Gollum from Lord of the Rings. Gollum kept telling me that I was old and fat and that I looked ridiculous and shouldn't even bother running. Then Smeagel would tell me that I can run, even though I'm not a bean-pole and to just get on with it. Someone once told me that distance running is 60% physical and 40% cerebral. How very true! My body felt fine but my head was just not in the zone.

It's this sort of run that builds mental stamina which is so important during a marathon.

The route I chose was mostly off-road and was quite tough as the ground was very wet and difficult. I had intended to run 20 miles on the road but cut it down to 15 as cross-country in muddy conditions is much harder than road running.

Onwards and upwards.

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