I’ve read you can’t “make-up” runs, and as such, you can’t have a re-do on a bad day. While that may be true physically, mentally I would argue that point.
I ran hard in an Orange Theory class, which was awesome! I was running next to two friends and we had a blast trying to beat each other in miles. As such, my outdoor run later that day suffered. It was 80 degrees which I’m not fully acclimated to yet with our very chilly spring. I chalked that poor run up to tired legs from running hard in class, the heat I’m not acclimated to yet, and blah-blah-blah.
Some runs I can chalk up as crappy ones and move on. Just like certain days when things don’t go right. They simply are what they are sometimes. But this run just kept nagging at me. Yesterday, I ran 8.1 in the early morning, it felt great, so that was good, I felt redeemed. But that bad run still was like a kid kicking the back of my seat on a plane. I tried to ignore it but it just kept on and on. Yesterday afternoon I had a window to get 5 more miles in. I took that opportunity, though it only left me 10 minutes to shower and get back out the door. The 5 miles felt great, I took a quick cold shower to cool off, dry-shampoo, ponytail, BOOM good-to-go!! I felt like I was winning all the rest of the day into today. I like to do that after rough days, too. I ALWAYS schedule time to work out on a dark, rainy day, or after a particularly tough day. I do something healthy that makes me feel good and energized. Life is short, and as I get older, the reality of that fact becomes more and more apparent. We can’t just take life as it comes to us. We have to CREATE time.
There is always time for things we must do. Always. Time to run is created, not just easily granted. Making that time is not something many people do, but we don’t have to be like most people. We can make things happen rather than waiting for things to happen to us. And the crazy part is, you get called crazy for doing that! Ahh well, but we know the secret. This type of perspective of ours adds so much quality to life. So let them call you crazy as you live your high-octane life!
So while I may not have “made-up” for that poor run or off-day, I now feel ahead of the game. Ahead of the game because I made that time happen, I didn’t just let time happen to me. Because when I feel things aren’t right, I know I have the ability to make them better.
While I can not be sure if I physically made up for that poor run, and can not re-do an off day, mentally I feel powerful making a change. Adding in a run or finding a way to make the next day better. I feel strong. I KNOW I can make changes where they NEED to happen. KAPOW! Now off for some Friday speed work!
Be the change you want to see in the world, Friends!!
Stories of Wil, my son, who has Down syndrome 