When I lived in Spain, there were four distinct seasons – which meant for a fair portion of the year I was running in the dark and cold. It meant getting home from my job, immediately changing, and literally running out the front door in an effort to outrun my ‘demotivation’. And most of the time, it worked. I pushed through the depths of the dreary Madrid February – with a seemingly endless supply of icy winds and below freezing days.
But it worked – I was fit, strong, and ready to go (I was also in a fair amount of pain, but that’s a story for another day). And these are the memories that I stepped out into the dark with.
It’s hard going from fit to slow and back again. Hard because your brain and your body remember what it’s like to be fast and what it’s like to glide over the ground, each step giving the next strength. So to struggle to meet what would have previously not even been a cool down for me, is something of a challenge.
Having said that, Nike+ knows what it is doing. These runs were easy, fun, and just enough exertion to keep me coming back. They’ll continue in this short and sweet pattern for a bit longer, eventually transitioning into longer and more strenuous exercises.
Getting back to the night run this week. It was what is called a ‘benchmark’ run in Nike+ language. Theoretically it should help to guide my coming runs so that I improve more quickly and evenly.
At the next benchmark, I’ll screenshot the stats for each to see what kind of improvement I’ve had.
Anyways, the next day, I went out around 4:30PM and it was hot. And humid. Probably one of the most Florida-esque days we’ve had – complete with a rain shower in the afternoon.
I ran slowly and to be honest, it was a bit of a struggle. But these types of small struggles lay the foundation for future success (mentally and physically), so I know it’s important to accept the process. Knowing this in theory isn’t enough to make it stand up completely to the discomfort that accompanies weakness.
So if you’re out there, and you’re struggling to push yourself to take another run, don’t give up. The zoom is waiting for you.
Do you have any tips for overcoming those hard days? Leave them in the comments below!