Monday's run wasn't easy: it was hot outside, I felt light-headed, my breathing seemed shallow, my legs felt heavy. In short, I FELT ill. And to make matters worse, a perky young thing sprinted past me, a serene smile on her face. Which made me feel old.
So what did these feelings 'help' me conclude? That I couldn't or shouldn't finish my long run that day.
Say what?
Thankfully, a small voice of reason piped up before I quit. Now wait a minute here, it said. You have 5.5 months before your date with a marathon. And you haven't even finished a 10-mile run yet. You feel hot, tired, and slow. And now you feel cranky too. That's too bad, but you know what? You still have to run a marathon. Your training schedule calls for 7 miles today--not tomorrow, and certainly not sometime later in the week.
This was a FACT.
I needed to push aside my feelings in the present, and focus instead on my longterm goal of running a marathon. So what did I actually DO?
My imagination was getting the better of me, so I trusted the facts: You did a 7 mile run already this spring, I told myself as I panted up the hill. So what makes you think you 'can't' do it today? As hot and tired as you feel right now, and despite the fact that you're not looking as perky as the next runner out there today, the truth is you've never fainted during a run. Never. And even if you did, so what? Chances are you wouldn't collapse unconscious and alone, like you imagine. You'd sit on the grass to the side of the path, catch your breath, then walk home.
OK, so I'd decided to keep moving. But I still FELT like crap. So what could I do to finish this run without crying, or worse, crawling home to my front door? I knew I was physically not my finest that day, so I slowed my pace but kept my form, and focused my mind on my breathing.
And I rechecked the facts: when I glanced at my watch, lo and behold, I was keeping good time.
A healthier conclusion? Feelings are misleading. Don't give in to them. Stick to the facts when training for a marathon.
