There’s no such thing as a bad run Kate
Yeah, yeah, Dad, okay then..
I thought he must be joking. I was so slow during that route. The endless cycle of thoughts begin…
- I’m too slow
- I’m not a good enough runner
- That was such a bad run..
Sound familiar? Let me stop you there. Right, repeat after me: There is no such thing as a bad run.
Not every run will feel perfect
Don’t get me wrong, not every single run will give you the dreamiest “runner’s high”. I admit that, of course. You’re not going to feel that rush, that adrenaline and that next level excitement after every single run. You just won’t. It doesn’t work like that.
So, why bother? Well, it’s a hobby, and like anything, “practice makes perfect”. You have to work at it. Sometimes you’ll go for a run, and you might feel light, bouncy, and brilliant. You’ll finish your run and feel elated. You’ll still have worked hard; sure. But you’ll be buzzing. Take in that deserved runner’s high.
But sometimes, there will be a run that won’t feel quite the same. Your legs might feel heavy. You might not be able to get the right natural rhythm that usually comes with ease. Your shoulders are tense. Your breathing is a bit off. And that just makes the whole thing harder, because you’re struggling how to breathe. Now you’re frustrated that you shouldn’t have come on a run because you’re “not a good runner” and you get in your head about it.
And now you’re not in the best mood, and so it’s a vicious cycle. You can’t seem to get into the swing of the run, and you really don’t want to be running any more. And you’re convinced, well, ever again.. Never.
But you will run again
You’ll finish that run, and yeah you’ll probably feel really deflated that you didn’t get a personal best, or whatever. You’re just really gutted. It does happen, I won’t sugar coat it. But here’s the thing:
What you do NOW, counts the most.
You have 2 options.
- Give up
- Try again
That’s it you’ve officially decided to never run again. Throw the towel in. Give up. You’re not very good at this. Oh well. You’ll find another hobby.
Or..
Give yourself a break. Go about your day. Mentally move on. Eat something good, rehydrate, and then in a few days, or a week, whatever you feel is right, try again. It doesn’t have to be far or long. Just start with 5, 10 or 15 minutes. Start with something. And see how you feel.. Remember, not every run is a bad run either. And if your last run was totally awful, this run is mathematically less likely to be.
And often, if you’re facing round 2 after a bad round 1, that second attempt usually goes better. Things work better. You get your rhythm back. You can breathe again. And you never know. You might actually enjoy yourself..
Don’t give up. That’s your running tip. You owe it to future you!
Written by Katie McDonald, 1st April 2025.
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