If you want to learn more about my challenge: Running a 5k in every borough in London August 6 & 7, please go here! Interested in RUNNING a borough with me? Check this out! I am running for CrisisUK, and you can donate to the cause here.
The thing with long distance challenges is that you really should put some miles in (aka training) before the big day. This can be easier said than done. Why? Reality.
There are just some days you can't drag yourself out of bed at 0545 for a run. No problem, I will run during lunch. Well too bad work has other plans and you can barely scarf down your food let alone a workout session. Thats fine! I can run after work! Nope not gonna happen, you have plans. Granted, you can cancel plans, but after a few times your friends will stop asking you and you also ultimately feel horrible bailing... again.
This doesn't even include weekends, the holy days of LSR. The issue is I try to do TWO LSR's in a weekend. When in a relationship, that makes things difficult. Spouses make plans you forgot about, or (again) YOU make plans YOU forget about. So it's up at 0545 (or earlier) to again squeeze a run in.
It all starts to wear you down.
Most days now I am in bed by 10:30. I can barely stay awake, my teenage ghost of myself is very disappointed and has locked herself in her room. I went out with friends the other weekend and I left before my pregnant friend. Not too much before I was assured, but still a bit sad on my part. At a party on Sunday I was talking to friends who were out till 4 in the morning. Sometimes I wake up about 30 minutes or so later to go run. I lament my lost evenings.
But at the pre-race seminars they had at the Shrewsbury half the other weekend, one of the speakers said it's important to remember your WHY. Why do you do whatever regime you are doing? When the going gets tough, you better have a good reason, else you will start to falter. A little wavering is normal, and yes sometimes rest is a very good thing (yay taper!). However, you need to always keep that passion burning else you will have a very hard time staying on the bandwagon.
So when your friends are going out for 'one more drink' or you think about hitting your snooze button 'one more time'- remember your WHY.
I am also thinking about how much sleep I am going to get when it's all over.
The thing with long distance challenges is that you really should put some miles in (aka training) before the big day. This can be easier said than done. Why? Reality.
There are just some days you can't drag yourself out of bed at 0545 for a run. No problem, I will run during lunch. Well too bad work has other plans and you can barely scarf down your food let alone a workout session. Thats fine! I can run after work! Nope not gonna happen, you have plans. Granted, you can cancel plans, but after a few times your friends will stop asking you and you also ultimately feel horrible bailing... again.
This doesn't even include weekends, the holy days of LSR. The issue is I try to do TWO LSR's in a weekend. When in a relationship, that makes things difficult. Spouses make plans you forgot about, or (again) YOU make plans YOU forget about. So it's up at 0545 (or earlier) to again squeeze a run in.It all starts to wear you down.
Most days now I am in bed by 10:30. I can barely stay awake, my teenage ghost of myself is very disappointed and has locked herself in her room. I went out with friends the other weekend and I left before my pregnant friend. Not too much before I was assured, but still a bit sad on my part. At a party on Sunday I was talking to friends who were out till 4 in the morning. Sometimes I wake up about 30 minutes or so later to go run. I lament my lost evenings.
But at the pre-race seminars they had at the Shrewsbury half the other weekend, one of the speakers said it's important to remember your WHY. Why do you do whatever regime you are doing? When the going gets tough, you better have a good reason, else you will start to falter. A little wavering is normal, and yes sometimes rest is a very good thing (yay taper!). However, you need to always keep that passion burning else you will have a very hard time staying on the bandwagon.
So when your friends are going out for 'one more drink' or you think about hitting your snooze button 'one more time'- remember your WHY.
I am also thinking about how much sleep I am going to get when it's all over.
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