I was 10.25 miles into my long run. Frankly I was surprised I made it that far, but I needed to make another 7-8 miles. There was a lot going against me.
First, I am still not over my sinus infection. It is better, but not gone and it hit me hard Saturday night and I woke up Sunday feeling tired and a little sick.
Then there is the 5K I ran just 24 hours before. I ran as hard as I could and I have never been able to run the day after a 5K because my body is way too sore.
Finally had I just drank water, had some Cliff Block Chews and I ran my tenth mile way too fast. My thoughts were, “maybe I should call it a day”. “I still have 5 weeks before my marathon”. ” Who would criticize me for running 10 miles after such a busy weekend”.
Then my phone rang… It was my work… I had to help someone with an IT issue. I stopped running. I talked on the phone for 10 minutes. In the mean time, TJ ran past me on his run and another runner ran past. I finished the call. I stood there thinking, “What do I do?” I was tired and hot. It was getting close to 80 degrees and 90% humidity. I was soaked.
One more mile, I decided. I’ll run one more mile and see how I feel. I’ll slow down a bit, try to run relaxed, not push. After all, 11 miles is better than 10.
I finished that one mile and went for another. I finished that and then another. By the time I finished, I made a distance PR of 17 miles. 2 miles farther than I have ever run. I also managed to keep an average pace of 9:15/mile. I am so glad I didn’t give into that voice.
THAT VOICE!
I hate that voice. It talks to me on all my long runs and hard workouts. It is constantly telling me to give in. Give up. There is always tomorrow. You are tired. You are hot. Today is just a bad day.
NO!
I have decided that that voice is not my friend. Yes I have to be wise and if I get hurt, I’ll know I am hurt. But there is no way for me to run a marathon in 5 weeks if I let that voice be my friend any longer.
So I am going to work my hardest to ignore this voice and move forward. My goal is to run this race and do my best. However if I bring this voice along with me, I will just live in fear the whole race. My goal for the next 5 weeks is to silence this voice and move forward confidently and wisely and make the right choices based on fact and not on “a voice”.
Today is my off day. I have a trip to the chiropractor this afternoon and then I hope I can rest for the evening. It was a great weekend for running and I feel much better than I did about my upcoming marathon.
Thank you all for your comments and encouragement! I am so thankful I started this blog!!!
278 to Boston 
Good effort…ran 27 Km myself today and voice told me 21 Km was not bad for a training run after a race. Good luck.
Thanks. I’m glad someone else hears that voice also!
Next week will be my longest training run to date (14 miles), I hope I’m strong enough to silence the voice! Keep up the good work!
Thanks. I really believe that recognizing the voice is 90% of the battle! Once you know that it isn’t your friend, it becomes easier to ignore. Good luck on your run!!!
Aargh the voice!! I listened to it today! It’s even helping me to think of excuses to write in my blog later. You’re right it is NOT my friend. Well done for not listening to yours, especially after illness, that voice would have thought you’d be a push over….but no! Fantastic
Thanks! It really is one of the hardest lessons I’m learning in my running. I think it will be the difference in making my goal!! Ha. I know what you mean about using it in your blog. I was doing the same thing. The best thing about running is each day is a new day!!! Good luck!
Never let that voice take over!! If you can’t ignore it, fight it! Tell it you can run faster, or longer, or whatever your goal is!
Thanks. I am beginning to learn that very thing. I hate it has taken me this long to figure it out. I’m sure you have a lot of experience with dealing with it. Let me know if the Kenyans have an insights. 🙂
Great job powering through. Ignore the negative voice and embrace the positive one that will follow all this effort!
Will do (try my best anyway). Thanks. These life lessons can be hard.
They can be…but they’re necessary (I think).
I totally agree!
Who first told you to smack that little voice and tell it to shut up?
Funny. It was more by experience and observation. I knew I could run further than I “felt” on my runs, so I tried different things to figure out the problem. It really has only been the past few weeks where I have put two and two together. I’m still working at it though. Not an easy thing to do.
Wow, it’s so cool that you run that much. You really inspire me to improve my fitness! 😀
Thank you. That makes all this work worth the effort!!!
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Ughhh…..that voice!! Well done silencing it, one step at a time, you’ve got this!
I completely understand the voice, it’s a daily challenge for me and it can be so convincing sometimes especially when it tries to catch me in a very weak moment!
Yes!! The weak moment is the key. It seems to be the weak moments that take us by the greatest surprise. Thanks! 🙂
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I know that voice!!! I hate that voice! I try to repeat a mantra in my head to drown out the voice. One foot in front of the other. Just keep moving. You are awesome!
Thank you very much! I love the advice. David Lawrence (thequinquagenarianrunner.wordpress.com) once commented about getting into the “zone” while running. That is something that has eluded me, but I think that is also a key to the long run.
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