Pushing Past A Bad Run: Advice from the Altra Ambassador Team

Whether you're running for fitness, weight loss, training for that first half marathon, or other reasons, we all have runs when we just don't feel great.  

Muscles don't cooperate.  You feel stiff and sore.  Your rhythm and stride is off.  Your energy is gone.  The mental images of graceful footfalls are replaced with a heavy trudging as you end up simply going through the motions, counting down the seconds and steps until the run is over.  It's just a bad run day.

While it's tough to get through those types of runs, it's sometimes even harder to deal with the disappointment and frustration you may feel after the run is over.  A bad run may even raise suspicions of doubt about your conditioning, or even worse, raise doubts about your capabilities.  You may even start to dread facing the next workout fearing yet another "bad day". 

The good news is that suffering through a difficult run is something every runner has dealt with.  So I checked in with my fellow Ambassadors and compiled some of their advice on how to push past a bad run and get back on track: 

Ponder, Don’t Dwell: When you have a bad run, it's helpful to understand why it happened. Just remember that there is a difference between analyzing your run and dwelling on the performance.  Think it through. Are you weary from over training?  Did you eat and hydrate properly? Are you getting enough sleep? Is your equipment hampering your performance (it's amazing what a new pair of socks can do). Figuring out the reason behind your bad run can help you avoid a repeat experience and can also help you make necessary adjustments to your training. 

Cleanse the Palette: After a bad run, don’t be afraid to mix things up. Make your next workout something different.  Jump in the pool for a swim, go for a bike ride, hit the erg, or hit the gym for a weight session to like a swim, get on the erg, go for a bike ride or do a massive weights session to "cleanse the palette". 

Stay the Course: Let it go. Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. Remember, bad runs are usually fairly rare, so don't assume that you'll feel the same way the next time you run. Stay the course and remember that your next great run is right around the corner. 

Recognize and Adjust: You know a bad run when it kicks in.  When it happens, change the focus of your run efforts.  Ignore the watch, slow down and focus on proper form and technique. Sometimes simply adjusting the focus of your run can change your mental and emotional state of being and turn a bad run into a successful training session. 

Comparisons: Altra Ambassador Jennifer Nolan recalled a moment from her early run career when she was frustrated with how long it was taking to get faster.  The problem was compounded when her training group consisted of world-class athletes (ie Kona triathletes, Boston Marathon competitors). The advice given to her from the run 'leader: Don't make the mistake of comparing yourself to the wrong people.  Every runner is different, and every run is a new experience. 

Write about it: It may seem like writing about your terrible run will only prolong the agony, but expressing your thoughts about it in your training journal or blog can help you work through it. Having a record of what you think went wrong will also help you prevent you from making the same mistake in the future. 

Goal Check: Make sure that you have set goals that have nothing to do with time.  While hunting down a new PR is a worthy goal, it’s equally as important to strive for accomplishments that can be checked off even when things are not going as planned. 

Find a Run Buddy: if you can train and race together, great, but sometimes it's even just nice to have someone to talk to. Chances are, you're not the first (or 5,000th) person to go through what you're going through. You have to start somewhere- not every race will be a PR. Make it a point to walk or run one race every year with someone who needs a little extra motivation or attention. The gains you help them make feel so much better than any PR ever could "pay it forward" to a fellow runner and the running community. Inspire someone. 

Attitude Check: Above all, remain confident.  A poor missed run does not ruin the goal you are tracking towards. Most likely you are training for several weeks for your running, do not let one bad day ruin the rest of the training plan. As Carlos Castaneda once said, "we either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong.  The amount of work is the same." 

Remember, bad days are not permanent. They are a flash in the pan, a blip on the radar in your overall training efforts.  Consider them the perfect opportunity to find out what you focus on, how you think and what you say to yourself to get through it.  If you can learn from the outing, then you've just turned your bad run into a "learning run". Don't sit on the sidelines too long.  Get back out there and take on the road, your next great run is right around the corner! 

*A special thanks to my fellow Altra Ambassadors Scott Patnode, Colleen Chandler Rue, Roberts JM, Matt Hester, Ann Mooney and Jennifer Nolan for their thoughts, insights and advice on this post.  

Tackle the Trail, Rejuvenate the Run

Maybe that treadmill has made you start to sympathize a little too much with your kids pet hamster.  Maybe you’ve simply become physically and emotionally weary from running your usual circular route, dodging the same old cars, buses and heckling children.  Perhaps you’re just looking for a way to breathe new life into your old running routine. 

The truth is that for both new and experienced runners, trail running offers a number of benefits that can help you enjoy your running more, protect yourself from injuries, and even improve your race times on the roads and on the track.  With the warm weather finally arriving it’s the perfect time to consider mixing in some trail running to your routine.  Along those lines, here’s some food for thought.

Benefit Your Health...

Unlike road running, which due to the repetitive pounding can cause overuse injuries, running on the trails will improve your strength, balance and stamina.  Moreover, trail running surfaces are much softer than the asphalt or concrete you'll be pounding when knocking out miles around town. Softer surfaces mean fewer injuries, not only due to lower impact forces, but also because you'll build more strength in the muscles that help stabilize your lower legs. The result?  You become less injury prone. No path is the same, as they are often uneven, scattered with tree roots and rocks, and perhaps a few creeks and puddles to test your hurdling ability.

Improving Your Technique...

Studies show that running on uneven terrain causes you to take shorter, quicker strides and land more on the forefoot than the heel. These adjustments are helpful when you're running on any surface. Shorter strides, a faster stride rate and mid-foot landing requires less energy and allows for faster acceleration than heel-toe running with longer strides.

Breathe Easy...

Just as important as the physical benefits, trail running can help to relax and rejuvenate the mind and body as well.   Whether you’re running on a local fire trail or weaving through a thick blanket of trees, running on the trail certainly beats pounding the pavement around the concrete jungle.  Additionally, when you’re running the trails, there’s less stress about your time and pace.  This allows you to enjoy your run, which is a major component in maintaining consistency in your training over time.  You may also find that the solitude of your surroundings mixed with the diversity of the terrain also lets you tune into your body and form... rather than just getting through your run, you become one with the run. 

Set a New PR...

Concerned with improving your times?  Looking to set a new PR?  Then giddy-up my friend because trail running can actually help make you faster. Most trail running involves hills and lots of them. Running uphill makes you stronger, it’s actually the most efficient form of strength training for runners since it uses all the muscles you activate when running on flat surfaces, but builds greater strength due to the increased resistance.

Getting off the roads and on to the trails is one of the best things you can do for your running. Whether you`re aiming to enjoy your running more, build your strength or run faster times, trail running can be an enjoyable and relaxing addition to your running program.

Where do you start?

First thing’s first.  If you're hitting the trail, you are going to need a pair of shoes that are ready to let your body run efficiently and naturally while gobbling up serious terrain.  As an Altra Ambassador I’m proud to suggest the Lone Peak, Lone Peak 1.5 and the Superior from Altra Zero Drop footwear.  As with all shoes in the Altra line-up, these three trail minded kicks feature a natural foot-shaped design that provides for maximum foot relaxation and speed, while the Zero Drop™ platform gives you stabilization and better form.

Most running shoes are built on a 2-to-1 heel-to-toe ratio (twice as thick in the heel as the forefoot). Zero Drop footwear by Altra has been built on a 1-to-1 ratio meaning that the heel and forefoot are the same heights off the ground just as Mother Nature intended.  Once you try them on and experience the difference of fit and feel, you’ll wonder why every shoe isn't designed to follow the natural contours of your feet.

Now that you've found the perfect trail shoe, it’s time to take a look at a map to see what green spaces are near you. You don’t need to be located at the doorstep of Yosemite or the Grand Canyon to get in some work on the trail.  Take a look around your city, even your neighborhood.  Look for canal paths, woodlands, a hill or a park - and you’ll be almost certain to find a path leading you to an all new runners high!