Some workouts just don’t happened as planned. I switched up to an afternoon run the other day so that I could spin in the morning as well and ended up running on a snow-dusted track as a consequence.
This is obviously not the track, but Central Park. The track was similarly dusted but not nearly as beautiful as the Park.
It was a little slick around one of the corners and I had to slow down a little bit as I made my way around said curve 12 times during my 3 1-mile repeats. I had to slow down. And then run straight into a headwind that further slowed me down.
Perfect conditions for speed work? Nope. I think I’ll live.
Yesterday I had an eye doctor appointment (new specs!) and so I had to run after class instead. Late night running is not my favorite.
I’m more of a sunrise kinda runner. I like it getting brighter as the miles roll on, not darker.
Again, the world will not end because I only got 4 dark miles instead of 6 sunny ones.
How often do we get perfect conditions, though? If I decided not to run every time it was below 50°F, above 80°F, raining, snowing, windy, or just crowded in the Park, I’d only be able to run about 30% of the year.
Runners! Runners! Everywhere runners!
Does it reeeeally matter what the conditions are? Not really.
If I’m working hard and running at my maximum speed for the rest of that one mile, the 60 meters of slick-ish stuff isn’t going to matter. If I had bagged my workout entirely and waited for a perfect day, now THAT would make a HUUUUUUGE difference in my training.
Waiting for the perfect day, the perfect race, the perfect conditions will leave you doing one thing: waiting. I say, go out and run!
Run in the rain.
Run in the snow.
Run in the heat.
Do it all safely, please, but if you CAN run, RUN.
My plan exactly after class tonight.
Endure the crappy runs, enjoy the amazing runs.
Now go out and run!
I think there are so many variables, there can always be something imperfect about a run. I think just being able to run happy and healthy in general is perfect enough 🙂
Well said!
GIRL, this was the story of my NIGHT! I SOOOOOO didn’t want to go to run club, they don’t meet until 7:30! My dishes were piled in my sink, I had to grocery shop, get dog food, ugh. Chores. I went with my friend and completed 5.5; not goal pace (Below 9) but averaged 9:17, close enough after a long day of work! I’m TOTALLY a sunrise runner. I’m thinking of coming up with a conversion scale; what would this run’s pace be if it was in the morning? Let’s shave 30-45 seconds off the average 😉
Agreed.
Prettyyyyy much. This is deff motivation for my race tomorrow! First post-baby race. And a blizzard. Go figure.
How did the race go????
oooo I love this! I need to stop waiting for things to be perfect and just do what needs to be done.
Get ‘er done!
Reblogged this on Madrid Journal and commented:
AWESOME!