Dealing with a bad run

"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." -Oprah Winfrey

As a runner, I have definitely had days where it’s a tremendous struggle to get through a run. My legs feel tired, I’m breathing heavily, and running for only a few minutes feels like an eternity.

It's not fun!

I am here to say that it is completely normal for even the fittest runners to suffer through bad runs. Sometimes we need to have a bad run every once in a while to appreciate all the good ones. 

How to get over a bad run:

Think about your health. Even if you had a bad run, you still ran! Your body gets benefits such as stress relief and cardiovascular training. Your mind also benefits. Getting through a bad run will make you mentally tough, in a good way that you can use throughout situations your life. 

Figure it out. Figuring out why you had a bad run can give you a sense of closure. It's helpful to your training to understand why you had a bad run. You can figure out if you are overtraining, hydrating properly, or undereating. 

Try something different. Once you have figured out what went wrong during your run, you can then work to fix the problem. If you need more sleep, get more sleep. If you need to hydrate properly, starting drinking water right away. 

Shake it off. It's okay to have a bad run every once in a while. It happens. Try talking to other runners about their experiences with bad runs and gain some insight or learn a new tip. Don't be discouraged, another great run is not too far away!