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.