Oh deer, oh deer.
I have hit a brick wall. I am having an absolute low with running this week. I've been trying to rest after all the recent running adventures, and I was trying to be sensible and not overdo it as I was feeling tired, and had a cold (see Mum, I was listening). I tried a 5km on Friday after work, to stretch the legs, but my legs were not for being stretched, and had a lot to say about this. So I had another day off on Saturday, which was really nice, but maybe wine tasting and fish and chips (my fourth proper chips in a week, which is some sort of a PB at least) wasn't the best recovery strategy. I tried to run yesterday in Richmond Park, but 9 miles felt as far as the circumference of the earth, and took about as long to get round it. My body was having a bit of a tantrum, but at least it was agreeing to move; my mind on the other hand was having a total block. It just wouldn't even let me think that I could run. Absolutely not. It felt like all of my demons and negative thoughts were jumping out from behind each tree (and there are a lot of trees in Richmond Park), trying to push me backwards.
Good Lord! How am I going to run 3 times this distance at the Richmond Park marathon in a couple of weeks! And then 11 times that at the Hundred the week after!!
On the plus side, Richmond Park didn't look like it was having any such issues today, and was looking mighty fine.
I have been having a meltdown. This is the most inconvenient time to feel like this. Two more weeks and I have to be back on form! In an attempt to look at ways to get my mind back on track, I have come across a new game to play whilst running. It's called "It could always be worse." You take the terrible running situation you find yourself in, say, "I'm not halfway through the Hundred yet, and Cross Fell looms, darkness is descending, and I'm completely knackered and broken. I can't go on!"
To make yourself feel better, you say to yourself, "but it could be worse!"
As in, "there could be a blizzard like that time on the recce!" or "I could be being chased up the mountain by a pack of wild dogs!" or "I could have 13 blisters like I did by this point on the last Hundred!" or "it could be 200 miles!" etc etc.....
This, apparently, will instantly buoy your spirit so much, that you will fairly bounce up Cross Fell and down the other side, landing smiling in Dufton at the breakfast stop, ready for porridge with a shot of Scotland's finest whiskey mixed in (a 100 tradition I am yet to try), before bouncing off for the next part of the run, safe in the knowledge that you can just repeat the above exercise, should you encounter any more resistance from your befuddled mind.
Gosh. I sure hope this works!
And until then, I shall try to sort myself out. I really don't get it, that the more I rest the worse I feel. Why did I feel better on day 10 of the TiT than I do now? Surely you should feel better and rejuvenated, after a few days resting? Plus, everyone else seems to be able to bounce from event to event without so much as a few days off, or even appearing to be slightly tired. Why can I not do this! I feel very frustrated right now. But surely, this is a prime opportunity to play It Could Be Worse, if ever there was one. I could have an actual injury, and I don't. And I suppose I did do the same miles as 14 marathons in 17 days, and only got two tiny blisters that didn't even hurt. If I got the same rate of blisters as I did on the last Hundred - 13 (did I mention that already?) - that would be 46 blisters over this many miles! This alone has made me feel better! The game works!!
Which is handy, because I'm going to do this challenge whether my mind or body like it or not, so they can both pipe down, and get on with it.
Which is handy, because I'm going to do this challenge whether my mind or body like it or not, so they can both pipe down, and get on with it.
Thank you everyone who has sponsored me, and your messages of support, they have meant a lot to Hannah and me! 💖💜💖💚💖
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