Everyone has the odd shit run!

I went for a run today.  The title was: 

1 mile w/u. 2 miles ≤ 9:09 pace. The rest just trotting along.        

Alternative name for this run would have been 

‘Voices inside my head’ –

I wasn’t planning to run today but just kept thinking about running and then I couldn’t settle so I thought the only way to stop thinking about running was to go for a run. Decided on my approx 10k route. 

Since just missing out on sub 2 hour HM at Isle of Axholme recently, I’ve set myself the challenge to include at least one ≤ 9:09 pace mile in every solo run to try to get that pace feeling more normal.  I only missed out by 1½ mins and the wind was horrendous -  most people were affected.  I maintained a sub 9:09 pace for much of the race, but it was bloody tough.   So this was #1 of my "Include a ≤ 9:09 mile in every solo run" plan .

Loved my warm up mile. Soon as I started to pick up the pace though, the voices start! Watch says 8:31. Too fast. But that’s because it’s always inaccurate at the start of the mile. Better slow down. Daren’t slow down. What if I slow down too much?  Remember to relax your shoulders.

After mile 1 at ≤ 9:09 I admit to self it’s hard work running at this pace. Why don’t you just forget about doing sub 2 hour HM?  Just enjoy your running. You love it running at endurance pace. Why don’t  you just do that?  Well, because that’s not going to make 9:09 feel any easier is it?!!

When will 9:09 feel easier?  You know what you tell beginners when they ask when it will get easier – wait til you get to week 5 and then see how easy it feels to run for one minute.  Each increase in pace or distance is a challenge, but look back to week one and see how far you’ve come.  9:09 will feel easier the more you do it.  

(Check watch) – Fuck! My HR is 181.  That’s ridiculous. I’ve only been running for 20 minutes! Oh well, you’re nearly at the end of two ≤ 9:09 miles you can walk home after that.  WALK???? Fuck off negative voices. What are you on about, WALK??? 

You could run but take the short cut.  You don’t need to do 10k.  Piss off.

Mile 4, slowing.  That feels better. Just get to Limber and then you could call in on Cheryl at work for a drink of water and a chat. Or even ask her to give you a lift home.  WHAT??? Where did that come from? 

Just take the short cut.  NO. Absolutely not.  When have I ever set out on a run and not done the distance I said I would do (bar injury)? It’s not happening.

Trogging on – I'm pleased to stop at the A18 for lots of traffic. Genuinely tired and throat hurts as I seem to have eventually picked up some of the bugs I’ve been managing to avoid. I cross the A18 and resist the temptation to take the short cut. Settle down into a gentle trot, bang some music on my phone and the next couple of miles pass without the voices having a dig at me.

Approaching home now at about 6.5 miles and I remember that my mileage this week so far has been 12.9 so if I could get to 7.1 I’d meet my weekly mileage target. But more importantly I’d have beaten the negative self talk.  So I run past my house and just trot anywhere.  Done.

No idea where those negative voices come from.  But they are not going to get the bloody better of me. I DO want to run a sub 2 hour HM again.  The only way to get there is to practice that pace. 

What I have learned from today’s run though is that if I’m setting myself a goal, I need to pick my time and consider it in the context of what else I’ve done (running) and other factors.  I did a hill run yesterday and some scary downhill off road fast (for me) running so perhaps trying to run at a pace I find difficult was not a good idea today. I am definitely coming down with something, so although i can run with a cold or similar bugs, it’s probably not the time to push myself.

I wouldn’t class this as a shit run exactly, but I must remember that everyone has the odd shit run, there are usually reasons for it, so just learn from it