There's no doubt that we'd love every training session, every workout, every run to go perfectly. The reality however, is that it doesn't always happen. Our best intentions for a powerful or focused workout, can be foiled by a body that's not properly fueled, weather, sick family members or a million other things that can throw you off physically, emotionally or mentally.
Earlier this week, mid-way through a long training run, I suffered one of these moments. The day was crystal clear, my pace was spot on, and the trail lay wide open before me. Then half way into the run, it happened. My body simply slumped. My energy levels drained, and before I knew it, my run transformed into a walk as I attempted to figure out what had happened. As the energy levels dropped, I felt the motivation start to slip and frustration settle in.
Eventually, I recovered and was able to finish up the run. But the frustration had wedged its way into my mind, and what started out as a beautiful day on the trail ended in disappointment as I felt like I had shortchanged my routine.
The reality is that we all suffer moments like this. Small set-backs and frustrations can derail our efforts and hurt our focus. That's why it's important to remember that there's always an unexpected variable that can throw a wrench in your routine. What matters is how you respond, how you push through the frustration. It's the choices after the frustration that have the biggest impact on our goals and ambitions.
Success is buried on the other side of frustration. It's that frustration which presents an opportunity to take take the necessary actions that will eventually support you in achieving your goals. You get through this roadblock by plowing through frustration, taking each setback as feedback that you can learn from and push ahead.
As Coach John Thompson Jr. once said, "Stay the course. Trust the course. Don't forget what you're doing."
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