Running has its ups and downs and this week I definitely experienced a down.
Fresh off my latest running success (I added an entire mile last Sunday!), I was eager to go running Wednesday morning and extend my distance even further.
I just bought new running shoes about a week ago and thought that I had broken them in. The shoes were broken in, but my legs weren’t. My legs started hurting during my warm-up and continued to hurt through-out my run.
About a mile into it, I just couldn’t run any more. I actually started crying because I felt so defeated. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t make it past the mile mark when just days before I had completed 2.4 miles.
Later when I had regained some perspective I realized that running one mile was a huge success for me. I only began running five weeks ago, I’m over 40 and I am way over-weight. Walking a mile would have been awesome, much less running it! I shouldn’t be discouraged because I couldn’t duplicate my 2.4 mile record.
It also made me think about life in general. Just because I’ve had a bad day or a bad week doesn’t mean that I’m a failure. The object is to just keep going. “His mercies are new every morning.”
So, with that being said, I’m just going to try again next time.
Hi – all runners have their bad days. You are exactly right to chalk this ‘not-so-stellar’ run as a “Hey, I did the best I could and I’m proud of myself!” I would like to remind you about a few things, form-wise. So often, I see novice runners injure themselves because they don’t know how to hold their body when jogging. So, here goes:
1) You’re probably not going break-neck speeds, so your head & body should be as vertical as possible. Rookie runners, as well as TIRED runners, have a tendency to lean forward and tip their head back (or fwd). This is bad! Take care of your back & knees and remain erect.
2) When jogging, keep your shoulders pulled back and try to keep your arms at a 90 degree angle (or even greater), so that your fingertips brush lightly against your hip bone. This helps open up your stride and puts your body in an efficient position.
3) Relax your muscles. Don’t hold tension in your face, your shoulders, your tummy. My coach always told me that you should be relaxed enough to pass gas freely. Relax your stomach muscles, let it all hang out.
4) My last tip…every few minutes do a body check. Is my head & body as vertical as possible? Are my arms down where they should be? Am I actively working on relaxing my body?
Good luck – hang in there!
~Jenn
Great advice! Thanks so much Jennifer!
I’m so proud of you for running! Power walking is good enough, so don’t be hard on yourself! I started working out and walking about 3 weeks ago. I feel so much better! I’m eager to do charity 5K runs, but I know I have to pace myself. Just go with how good it makes you feel and know that at least you aren’t on the couch eating a bag of chips!! GOOD JOB!