The above photo says everything about why today’s run was less spectacular than a Twilight sex scene:
1. It’s too late. On this 80* sunny winter day, there’s a big difference between leaving for a long run at 6am and noon. I went again my plans which meant my fueling and motivation for the run were off.
2. There’s no Chapstick in my pocket. I wish I was kidding. Nothing bothers me more than sticky lips.
3. I’m wearing not one but three pieces of new gear. My headphones hurt my ears. I’ve worn my HR monitor for CrossFit, but never during a run. I didn’t like the compression on my chest and should’ve started it with shorter runs. Also, two different watches is a whole different ball game!
4. I hadn’t prepared a course. I normally map out a course beforehand so I don’t have to check maps or worry about making it home on time. I skipped the map and my Garmin died before I hit the first mile. That equals distraction and lots of map checking.
5. It wasn’t a priority. No matter how much I run, a long run demands respect. I hardly paid attention to the 15 miles on today’s schedule so I never built up motivation. And I didn’t drink enough water yesterday.
In summary, I am easily distracted. I’ve spent years determining the exact outfit, shoes, hairstyle, fuel, pre-run regimen and other methods that add up to a good run. I should stick to them.
I ended up running about 11 miles sub-10 and walking about two miles home while writing this. I had a medium long run planned for tomorrow so I’ll just switch days.
What are your proven methods for long runs?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Ah, I know exactly what you mean about respecting the long run. I’ve got 20 on my schedule for tomorrow and I’ve already been checking the weather forecast, thinking about my clothing, thinking about my route, etc.
What mapping tool do you typically use to make your routes? I like mapmyrun, but whenever I’ve done the “send to cellphone” option it doesn’t do what I expected it would. I want something that will show me my mapped out run WHILE I am running it so that I know I’m still on track. Any tips on that?
Amanda McQueen recently posted..Whole30 – Day 9
I was going to run 17-18 on Wednesday and ended up running 10. My body was tired and that’s okay! FWIW I wear my HR strap under my sports bra right under my boobs, that seems to be more comfortable for me than wearing it below my bra. And I have the Garmin 610 which has a super nice strap, similar to your Polar… maybe upgrade your watch (I know it’s pricey!) if you’re going to start training with HR consistently.
But most importantly, it is NO big deal if you don’t make it through a long run. Shoot, I just spent 11min on my bike and got off because I felt too run down.
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