Character Building

Remember my post about a couple of weeks ago about the most fabulous run I had that day? How my body and mind just felt so fluid and strong? Yeah, today wasn’t one of those days.

Today’s 12 miler was tough…Maybe it was the lack of proper fueling the night before (I ate taco soup and about 20 Oreos). It could have been that I ran hard the day before (6 miles in 51 minutes – for me, that is flying). Or that I was a bit distracted by a full on flame-out-the-flue chimney fire and a house full of company (fire burned out, all is well). I guess I could use any one of those excuses.

Really, I think it was just one of those days.

I like to call runs like I had today character building runs. You never really find that groove, your legs just don’t feel quite right, your stride is off, you are running way slower than you planned, and all you want is to get through the run.

I am sure any non-runner reading this will probably be convinced that I am a masochist when they hear me say that this is a good thing. As runners and triathletes, we need runs like I had today to remind us that running doesn’t always feel awesome and effortless.

I believe you have to struggle a little to make gains. When things get tough, you have to search somewhere inside yourself to go that one more mile, to pick up your pace a little more, to stretch that stride out. That struggle teaches you something that prepares you for whatever race day (and life) has to throw your way.

Do I call this run a bad run? No way. It was a good run. I ran 12 miles before 9am, getting more done before the average US citizen has put down their second cup of coffee. I like those bragging rights.