On Saturday I woke up early, got dressed in my running gear, ate a couple of pieces of toast, drank a couple of glasses of water, and took a look at my trail map. My plan was to run 15 miles and to connect one of my shorter routes with one of my longer routes so that I wouldn't have to drive anywhere to get onto one of the trails. I filled up my CamelBak with G2, stuffed my cell phone, ID, and a ziplock bag of gummy worms (my current preferred form of mid-run extra calories) into its pouch and headed out the door.
The first mile felt good. The second mile felt great, and I was even keeping a sub-11 pace on the steep hill that I had figured would be the biggest incline challenge on this run. I turned onto a street that I thought would intersect with the street that I needed to take to get me to near the trail where I planned to run over half of the 15 miles I had planned. I came to a dead end, so I turned back, thinking I must have just somehow missed the street. At this point I had run a little over 3 miles. Then I realized the street I had been on Y'ed off, so I thought maybe that was my mistake. Maybe I should have taken the left rather than going straight... I descended down a very steep hill and ran for about another mile, realizing that I wasn't hitting the street I was looking for or any of the streets that I knew would take me to the general area where I wanted to go. I was frustrated and thinking that even if I did suddenly find my way to the trail I would have to return back up that extremely steep incline about 12 miles into my run. I wasn't thrilled about that idea, especially because I'd had a tiring week and hadn't been able to get in many mid-week miles.
After some debate with myself, I decided to just turn back and try again for a long run the next day. I ran 6.7 miles instead of 15 on Saturday. When I got home, I looked on Google maps, and it turned out the trail map was slightly misleading. The street that I was looking for actually ran parallel to the street I had been running on instead of intersecting with it. It was just really difficult to tell that from the pdf of the trail map I had been looking at.
I set out yesterday with the plan of doing at least 13 miles and possibly the 15 that had been on the original schedule depending on how I was feeling as the run progressed. Well, this run wasn't so fantastic either. My stomach started bothering me around mile 8. I blame it on the Kashi granola bar that I ate pre-run. It's not my usual brand and nothing else was particularly different. Once my stomach had settled, my lower back started seizing up. I settled for 12 miles and called it a day.
Sometimes a great long run is just not in the cards. Hopefully, next Saturday's will go much more smoothly. I definitely won't be trying that route again. I ran a gentle 2.5 miles today at a recovery pace, and my back felt fine so that was a relief.
How do you approach an unsuccessful run or training workout? Do you try to make it up the next day?
You know how it goes. Some runs are good. Some aren't.
ReplyDeleteI just shake it off. I don't try to make it up, just move on to whatever is next on my schedule.
Sometimes that happens and yes it's frustrating, but I just think, "what's next?" If I have time (ie the fail was on Saturday) I try for another LR on Sunday and if not I push it to Wedenesday evening and run at night. Maps and tummy got you; weather has been foiling my plans this week. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI've had a cold all week, which hasn't been too terrible except I've been so tired and the only time I can get extra rest is when I should be running. Consequently, I have not run in 7 DAYS! I feel terribly guilty, but I also feel terrible, period, so there's not much I can do about it.
ReplyDeleteHere's to hoping we both get a solid week of training in this week!
I started my marathon training plan two weeks early to allow two weeks of cushion just for this very thing. I had a pathetic attempt at a 13-mile run two weekends ago, but this past weekend I tried again and nailed it. I just couldn't let it get the best of me!
ReplyDeleteI let it go because I never get around to making up for it, too much else to do in the day. I guess I do more sprint work or more reps in the next workout, so in that way I make up for it a little.
ReplyDeleteUgh, that sucks. Usually, i just try to let it go and hope the next weekend's long run will be better. I hate when maps fail me!
ReplyDeleteBummer runs do happen. What's important is getting back on it and keeping a positive attitude. Sounds like you have a good outlook and that's the most important thing!
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