Horrible run

Ive been following Hal Higdons novice 1 programme since the start of Jan and all has been going well, every run has been fine.  Until yesterday!!  It was sub zero (-4) and the run was just horrible from the start, I don't know if it was my attitude or the weather but I just wanted to go home from 1 mile in.  I ran the whole way (as good as) but the last 2 miles were particularly awful, my legs went really stiff and I felt so tired and chilled to the bone despite wrapping up warm.  I just don't know what went wrong because I managed ten miles two weeks ago no problem.  Was it the bitterly cold weather?  Another thing, it took me AGES, two and a half hours, now I know it is supposed to be a long SLOW run, but that seems exessively slow.  (My PB for a half marathon is 2:26 and that included loads of walk breaks.)  Yesterday I felt like giving up the whole marathon idea because 12 miles felt like such a long way, makes me wonder what I have taken on, and its not even half the distance.  When I come on here and read that some are running 15 or 20 miles and not thinking anything of it, it makes me wonder if you guys are super human.

Anyone else here struggleing so early on?  Will next weeks 13.1 be easier??????  Was it the cold that made me stiffen up?  Weirdly, my muscles are not sore today.  Bizarre....

The main thing is you did complete your long run! We all get the occasional run where you feel terrible or you've taken longer than you usually would, but I really wouldn't let it worry you.

I'm following Hal Higdon's advanced 1 programme and yes it is tough, running 6 days a week, but when I posted on here a few weeks back I was told by so many people that it's the wrong programme to use or there was no need to run 6 times a week, but at the end of the day it is how comfortable you feel with your programme and doesn't matter what other people think.

Maybe prepare for next weeks long run in a different way. Was it something different you ate etc, etc?

I also had a bad 14 mile run a couple of weeks ago with terrible stomach cramps so I changed a few things and went out on Thursday night to do a 16 mile run and ended up doing 20 as I was so determined to do a good run. When I got in my calfs felt ready to explode but I was so happy I had pushed myself that little bit further! Be positive and good luck for your next long run, you can do it!!

Bad runs happen to all of us, you just have to put it behind you and if you can try and work out why that might have been. A couple of weeks ago I had an absolutely hideous 5 miler, legs felt like lead and I lacked any energy at all.  Don't dwell on it and just be pleased it's completed!

Thanks both, for the encouragement!  I will put it behind me and next week try and be healthier, more drinks and lower fat foods maybe.  I suppose I should be glad that all my other runs thus far have been great, a bad one had to happen, it was too good to be true! X

Rubbish runs happen for all sorts of reasons. But the fact you still got out there and did it is great. It's done now though. You did the miles. Onwards and upwards!!

Thanks Rachel! X

I'm right with you on this one.  Had a terrible run last Monday (10 miles) - like you managed to complete it but struggled from the word go.  Stiffened up around 6 miles and took all of my will power to complete it.  I've continued to have a terrible week and now I've got to go out and do 11 miles.  HELP!!!  I think we've just got to a point in our training that it's starting to get serious and our body is probably just protesting, but if we can just pull through, I'm sure we'll settle back into it.  Like you, I read other posts where people seem to be way ahead of the 10-11 miles and panics me a bit.  However, according to my training plan, we are about right for beginners and already have probably done more than a lot of people will before the marathon, so anything we can achieve from now onwards is a bonus.  I gave myself a bit of a break towards the end of the week, because I was starting to get totally burdened down with the whole marathon thing and started getting cross about everything.  Feel better today for giving myself a break from it all, but now re focused and ready to try again.  Hope you feel better about it all soon.  Hang in there and just keep on getting out there.  lol xx

Don't spend too much time worrying about one run. I went out for 18 yesterday which started off brilliantly but due to plodding through snow, running out of water at 14 miles and a fc (seldom use those words but in this case they're justified) splashing me from head to toe with slushy snow it didn't end well. Everybody has bad runs for one reason or another. The true test of character is wether you dust yourself off and try again or not. I know that my next run will be better than the last!!

I went out in the car before and tracked my run and it appears I mis calculated and had actually covered almost 13 miles, not 12!!  So maybe thats why I was staggering that last mile!!  I could have stopped!!  Haha!!!  Anyway, I have put it behind me, and yes, next weeks long one WILL be easier!!!  I will make sure of that, I will start mentally preparing now!!  Good job we have this forum for help and advice, its a lifesaver!!! 

Hi Mrs D.

You go girl WELL DONE !!!!!!! on your 13 miler, you did better than me i did'nt even get out yesterday as there was at least 6 inches of snow fell overnight too risky to go for a long steady run, you just try and stay focused remember a marathon is mentally testing aswell as physically keep up the good work..

         Cheers Billyboy,x

Thanks Billyboy for the very kind and motivating post!!!

No probs, here to help.

I have had a couple of real bad SLR, one was very slow (walking pace practically), but solidered on to the end.  I'm not setting myself any real time goals, so long as I get around without any major problems then I'm happy with that.  I did my 14 miler on Sunday (which I was dreading, 14 miles is like, OMG, that far!) and had to do it in the gym due to unforseen circumstances (ok, dodgy stomach!!) and it went really well (apart from having to dash to the loo on several occassions!).  My legs held out and I managed to keep my run walk pace at a decent speed all the way along.

So, what I guess I'm saying is, onwards and upwards.  Forget about the bad ones and remember the good ones, it shows that you can do it, it just at times things happen to upset the apple cart :)

It's good to experience a bit of pain and a bad run now and then anyway. It helps give you the mentality to deal with things when the going gets tough. There are plenty of people who'll run 16 blinding LSRs then run a crap marathon.

Good point!!

Some will even run 16 crap LSRs followed by a crap marathon...

Some will do a crap during the marathon.