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How to Overcome an Awful Workout.

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The Hungry Runner Girl: How to Overcome an Awful Workout.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

How to Overcome an Awful Workout.

I am to the point in my injury that I crave even the crappiest of lamest runs.  But I know that when I am running like normal again I will try to avoid those bad runs like the plague.  Today in pump I had one of those 'awful' workout days (not that the class was bad, it was amazing but I just was feeling so out of it) and I just wanted to crawl under the stack of mats with my emergency Butterfinger (I always keep some sort of stash in my gym bag at all times) and forget about this whole trying to stay fit and healthy thing.

We all have them.....

it may be a long run that we feel is the tell all of our fitness level,

a race that we spent big bucks on and told everyone we were going to PR in,

a day that we needed endorphins and a boost of self-confidence,

or a speed workout that we know could of helped us achieve that 5k PR we want so bad.

No matter who you are and what fitness level you are at, we ALL have off days, tired days or plain old BAD workouts.

That is normal and that is okay.  It is these workouts that make the good ones feel so good.  It is hard to think that way in the moment so instead I wanted to jot down some tips to help you get over your 'bad' workout and on with the rest of the day.

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1.  Look back on your blog/running journal/past race times and realize that it was one day and that in the past you have accomplished so much.  One day cannot define us, focus on the positive rather than spending the day beating yourself up.

2.  Call a running/work out buddy or family member that understands the ups and downs of training.  They will help talk you out of the, "I am never going to run again and open up a bakery and my workout will be running to eat the hot out of the oven donuts"  talk.  PS you can always email me if you need someone to talk to:)  Don't talk to people about it that do not understand how frustrating it can be to have such a bad day/week/month of workouts...they will probably make you even more frustrated.  Not a lot of people understand how crazy we all are.

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3.  Distract yourself.  Move on with your day.  Take a shower (okay, this one just makes my day worse), fuel yourself (usually fro-yo with 500 gummy bears works best for me), go to work, hang out with your kids.......basically just move forward.  You can't rewind and do it over and dwelling on the situation just makes your head hurt more so you might as well move forward and look forward to your next run.

4.  Sometimes it is just your bodies way of telling you that you need to slow down or stop.  I was LIVID after my half marathon in February.  I was expecting to do so much better and to love every second of it, but that was the opposite of what happened.  Little did I know (okay, deep down I did know) that I had two femoral stress fractures.  This 'crapola' run was my bodies way of saying, "Janae, you are ridiculous. You need a break."

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5.  Eat some candy or brownies with ice cream.  (I am expecting at least 4 angry anonymous comments for this one, I know I am a bad example).  Sometimes a good sugar rush (of course after eating a wholesome meal of fats, proteins and carbs, is all you need.

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6.  Kara Goucher says that she believes that "merely enjoying things outside of running helps my running by keeping me balanced and fulfilled as a complete person." Take a second and jot down your priorities. If running is our number one and center of our universe........when there is a bad run than we feel like our life is over because it is our main focus.  When we balance our life and realize there is so much more to us (great post about this on Julia's blog) than we quickly get over our bad run/race/workout etc.   Kara also tells herself, "Running isn't going to tuck you in at night," when she needs to figure out where her priorities should be.

7.  Kiss a hottie.  That makes everything better and you will forget all about your bad workout.

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How do you get over a bad workout?

How often do you have a bad workout?

-When I was running, I had at least one bad/wanting to quit workouts a week.  It happens to everyone, I promise:)  Some weeks it felt like every run, so don't quit if you go through a streak of bad runs!!

What is your current running or fitness goal?

-Get my legs whole again to run and swim freestyle for 100 minutes (with a break every 20 minutes).  I am crazy sauce, I know.

80 Comments:

At May 25, 2011 at 3:36 PM , Blogger Dr. said...

When I was running I had about 1 bad workout a month that made me want to quit. Now I can't wait to be able to have that!!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 3:42 PM , Blogger Lisa Letting Go said...

#5 and #7 are my favorite! I totally agree that sugar can cure anything.

I have bad workouts about once a week. Those runs that just hurt and make me never want to run again. I'm getting better at being ok with slowing down and/or walking if need be. I've learned (or am learning) to not be so hard on myself!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 3:51 PM , Anonymous Emma (Sweet Tooth Runnner) said...

I'm so on board with the sugar!! I am the BIGGEST emotional eater EVER, and brownies rock my world:) I definitely should've listened to my body too, and not pushed through when there was pain, or I wouldn't be injured right now either!! But we learnt an important lesson and we can just eat more brownies to make up for it:)

Current goal: to RECOVER fully and not run before my physio says! Someone may have to chain me down haha! :P

AWESOME post Janae!! Love you <3

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:01 PM , Blogger Haley said...

You are such an inspiration Janae :)
You're so right that running shouldn't be everything.
It's great to know that everyone goes through those days where we feel like we suck.
And you definitely do not suck my dear! Keep your chin up. You're kicking recovery's butt!
<3 Haley

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:06 PM , Blogger middleagedrunner said...

I always feel that a bad workout is just a tiny moment in time. As annoying as it can be by tomorrow it will be insignificant!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:10 PM , Blogger Julia said...

Janae! I love this post...so inspiring. And that pic is one of my favorites :) And you are too sweet for the shout out...I definitely wrote it with you as one of the people in mind. It is SO tough to recognize that we are more than just one thing at times...but it is always a good reminder to remember we have so much more to come home to or look forward to throughout the day.

I agree...today's workout was just crappy. I am sorry you were feeling the same way! For me I just knew it was potentially the last class so if nothing else I just wanted to go be around all the pump crazies one last time.

Today I came home and took a nap. Of course I have school work to do but I knew my body was needing some good sleep so I decided to give it what it needs :) I feel so much more refreshed now...still tired...but I am proud of myself for not pushing any further past my limits.

You are gorgeous inside and out and if there is anyone that is FAR MORE than a runner...it is you. I am grateful for every day of our friendship, learn so much from you always and just look up to you in so many ways!

Thanks for ALWAYS just being you :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:10 PM , Blogger Mandee said...

omg! can we please see more wedding photos!? Or do you have these in a past post?!? LOVE IT!

Sorry I didn't even mention what a great inspirational post this was because I got so excited about your wedding pic.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:11 PM , Blogger Aron said...

Ahhh yes the bad runs and workouts are just part of the game. They make us much more stronger in the long run and help us appreciate the good ones, but they do suck in the meantime.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:12 PM , Blogger Sue G. said...

I have a bad run every week. Without fail. When I expect to run really well, I do terrible, and when I just go out without any pressure, I do better.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:13 PM , Blogger Julia said...

p.s. of course you are one of the most freaking amazingest awesomest runners I have ever met too--I cant wait for us to be able to run together! DUH. I just meant that running is only one thing that I am inspired by with you...there is SO much more to you and maybe I am just most appreciative for your friendship and that you are ALWAYS so genuine. Those things will be there even when running can't be :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:13 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've been less competitive with myself lately so I haven't had awful workouts, instead I have "I'm bored, I need to do more" workouts. I like that you posted these tips. Now that I've actually typed out that I've been less driven, I'm thinkin I need to step it up in that department...

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:14 PM , Anonymous Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife said...

I often have bad runs.....and I try not to let them get to me. If I get at least 15 -20 mins in, I am good :) I sometimes don't LOVE to run, so that can be hard for me!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:15 PM , Anonymous Alyssa @ Life of bLyss said...

What a great post idea, Janae.

It's always so frustrating to have a bad workout, and we often forget that EVERYBODY has one... especially us injured girls right now. ;)

When you're back at it.. I'm fully expecting you to make a long road trip to Virginia Beach for some boardwalk running and some froyo within walking distance (yes.. I said walking distance).

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:20 PM , Anonymous Laura (LunaChickRuns) said...

Great post! I try not to dwell on a bad workout, because there's no point. Just move on and be done with it. Bad races are a little tougher because you work so hard to get there that it really sucks big time if you don't do as well as you hoped/knew you could. Great points in here about keeping balanced.

And brownies with ice cream can really solve just about any problems!! :-)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:23 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I usually have a really bad workout every week or two.....I just tell myself that I'll feel better once I'm done, and that tomorrow is a new day!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:27 PM , Blogger Rachelle Wardle said...

I love this post Janae and I think it was seriously meant just for me. I have been losing sleep at night and beating myself up about the marathon like crazy. But I try to remember how grateful I should be that I was even able to run a marathon. I think of all the people that are not even able to run and I thank my lucky stars my body allowed me to accomplish something so great.

You are such an amazing example to me and to everyone around you! Love you so much girl.

Keep eating brownies & ice cream!! It keeps working for me. :):)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:29 PM , Blogger Brooke said...

I just recently had a bad workout, specifically my 5K race on Sunday. I had been so busy that month leading up to the race, so by the time Sunday came, it kind of hit me by surprise! I just felt so BLAAAHHH that I did my worst time, but as soon as I got home I signed up for TWO more races! I need to make up for that one! :-)

PS: After that race, I immediately grabbed a bag of skittles and smooched the man. Works like a charm every time! :-)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:41 PM , Blogger EBURNS said...

Whenever I have a bad workout, I remind myself that I have been running for 10 years, and I haven't quit running yet.

It works with eating too, when i realize i have had doughnuts 5 nights in a row (which I have this week)I remember that I have been fit and strong and loving my fruits and veggies for a decade at least too.

Truth sets my mind free.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:46 PM , Blogger Mary Nevin said...

you are the bestest!! i had a bad workout yesterday and ate brownies and ice cream, it really is the perfect remedy. this entry gave me the inspiration to get back out there tomorrow :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:51 PM , Blogger dear willow, said...

i. love. you.

ur the oprah of the blog world ;)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 4:58 PM , Blogger trisha*n said...

this was perfect for today. i had a BAD run. and as i dragged myself along i kept thinking "why do I do this? seriously." and i finished and was just angry. but I'm ready for a new day. thanks for sharing, lady!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:02 PM , Blogger Jennifer said...

You are so on the money with this post! I've been having some really crappy runs lately and have been trying really hard to stay level-headed about it. Thanks for the reminder :) #7 is totally my favorite :D

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:10 PM , Blogger Neon Blonde Runner said...

Ok I totally agree with ihatepickleslikewoah, you are the Oprah of the blogging world.
Your post made me feel all happy and warm and secure.
It made me want to give you a big hug. You bring out the cuddly in me!

I'm waiting in the airport right now, my flight has been delayed two hours. Good time to catch up on blogs!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:17 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

LOVE this post - and I love how you said "no matter what your fitness level is, we all have our bad days"! Totally! I have a bad day every once in a while, but instead of getting down on myself for sucking at life, I remember that it's just one day!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:17 PM , Blogger Jaeme + Randy said...

Love the post :). I just have to say, It totally drives me crazy that you said you will get upset comments about the eating ice cream/brownies thing. I say good for you that you still enjoy the food you love! I get so sick of reading blogs of people that won't eat this or that, won't eat sugar, won't eat one stupid cookie. That is not realistic and I think that is why so many people love your blog. I try to be healthy but I truly believe in everything in moderation. So good for you for being real!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:23 PM , Anonymous katie @ KatieDid said...

great tips! it's true, be wouldn't be human if every single workout was butterflies and rainbows. The point of working out is to PUSH yourself out of your comfort zone sometimes. My current goal is completing my first marathon this Sunday!!!! I'm a bundle of nerves but very excited for it too.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:28 PM , Blogger michele said...

What is the story behind that picture of you sitting on the ground?? What happened??

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:31 PM , Blogger Raina said...

We all have 'em.

Injury sure make you appreciate even the crummiest run. Not sure where I'd be if I could never run again...It would take a while to find that new happy place.

Sometimes focusing on certain scriptures or song lyrics, or visualizing something greater can get me past the tough days.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:37 PM , Blogger Nik said...

I have bad workouts every week or so and I find that it is usually when I haven't had enough sleep or I ate something really heavy. I absolutely believe you get out of your body what you put into it. But sometimes the cheeseburger wins.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:42 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

When I have a bad workout I usually get frustrated and mad at myself during the run or workout and force myself to get better from that point on. But I don't let it get me down for the rest of the day. When I am done, I am still proud of what I could do and then I move on with my day. Hoping to get a better workout in tomorrow.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:54 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

This post is great! I had a terrible race 2 weekends ago because of a side stitch around mile 9, and I had to walk/jog the last 4 miles. I was so excited for this race and thought I would PR, but I was so disappointed at the end. A few days later, I realized that although the day didn't go as planned, my training runs were awesome! I put in so much effort for weeks that I shouldn't be upset over 1 run.

Kissing my hottie at the end who was cheering for me definitely helped too!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 5:57 PM , Anonymous chelsea said...

I agree that if you center your life around just running it becomes that much harder when things don't go the way you want them. When I was obsessing over my training for my half and then overtrained I became so upset over the fact that I could not run anymore, it was as if my life was over. As of now, I still am recovering from overtraining and just trying to focus on running 2-3 times per week at a slower pace and one long run increasing by 1/2 mile each week. My biggest obstacle is also making sure I am eating enough for my runs.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:00 PM , Blogger Samantha said...

I loved Julia's post about how we are more than just runners and I love this post too.

My most recent "bad" work-out was in the heat. I could have sworn I went at least 5 miles. Turns out, it was just shy of 3. Ummm, what the heck?! Oh well, ate chocolate (cure-all) and moved on. More "good" work outs are in my future and they are in yours too, Janae! :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:00 PM , Blogger chiara said...

Number of bad runs for me seems to be proportional to number of miles per week. When I was running 20 mpw, I rarely had a bad run. But I'm not sure I was improving. Last 3 weeks I've ramped up from 24 to 30. Probably 1 bad run per week, and one good, and the rest "eeehhhhh".

Very, very short term fitness goal is to run 22:59 or better this Saturday at a 5K. Last Sept I tried to run a 5K but they failed to make it long enough (2.86! Not even close!) so I don't have a recent 5K time. I would have run around 23:30 (extrapolating). Hopefully under 23:00 is doable.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:09 PM , Blogger Stephanie said...

I love this post. I needed it because that totally happens for me re: Saturday -

Oh well, gives me perspective for Sunday's race. and i totally agree on the icecream.

no worries, like you said move on, it will be fine :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:10 PM , Blogger Stephanie said...

I love this post. and can so relate - http://runforfun-stephanie.blogspot.com/2011/05/best-laid-plans.html

I agree on the icecream :)...so no worries, one work out, there will be so many more

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:15 PM , Blogger agable said...

I love your honesty!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:24 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

on my to-do list: email janae. and vent about my current slump of running/cracked ribs/ no motivation. because like someone else said, you are the oprah of blogging and i love you :)

now i just need to find the time to write a coherent email!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:34 PM , Blogger Erin@gosupermamago said...

Great post! I had a run like this a couple of weeks ago (actually more like a whole week) and two weeks (and a few days) away from race day in which I am desperately trying to PR it was a hard hit. My coach told me to remember that "one run does not define us" and also helped me to realize exactly what you just said. We all have bad days, we just have to move past them and focus on the next one. :)

I feel like I have at least 1 bad run every one-two weeks. My current goal is a sub-1:#5 half marathon.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:34 PM , Blogger Erin@gosupermamago said...

1:35*

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:37 PM , Blogger Holly said...

i have bad work outs quite frequently - and right now i have a running injury that is putting me out for a while, which is more than enough to put me off my schedule. i've missed three runs already this week (and it's only wednesday) and i feel like i am going crazy!

goal: get a bike, cycle my little heart out, and swim until i can run again (SOON SOON SOON!)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:40 PM , Anonymous Rachel @ The Perseverance Diaries said...

I hate when I have a bad workout, I get so discouraged. The worst is when I'm on the treadmill and my legs feel like lead. Other days though I run on the treadmill and I just fly and go so fast! I try to overcome bad workouts by reminding myself that I do also have some really awesome workouts.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:45 PM , Blogger Lizzi said...

This is a FANTASTIC post and exactly what I needed to hear :) I've had a couple of weeks of workouts that have ranged from 'blah' to 'horrible'... purely because I am TIRED! I am run down and I've been beating my body into the ground. And then feeling like crap because my workout didn't go as well as I'd hoped.

I always try to focus on the positive... like, okay so you didn't run as fast or as far as you wanted. But you DID IT ANYWAY! And SOMETHING is always better than nothing (unless youre sick/injured/etc of course!).

I had a pretty horrible workout on Monday, and was just exhausted and OVER IT. So I decided enough was enough and took a rest day on Tuesday. I was fantastically lazy and slothful and ate a lot of delicious food and took myself on a date to the movies! It was JUST what I needed. And on Wednesday I hit the gym for a killer session that I actually ENJOYED! woop woop! i'm back in the game! :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:46 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are seriously too sweet. I had one of those days TODAY! I've been doing interval runs on the treadmill & taking more fitness classes so I haven't run outside in a few weeks. I decided I'd break that today and ran at 4pm in 85 degree heat. BAD IDEA! I am not used to running in the heat yet this summer and need to let my body adapt slowly! I didn't beat myself up over it- tomorrow I'll run in the early am before it's too steamy! And tonight I'll kiss my hottie. ;) You rock. Seriously.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 6:58 PM , Blogger Rene said...

Bad workout, probably once every few weeks. I just give myself credit for trying to do something and move on.
I just signed up for a marathon training class. My first full is in October and I AM going to finish in less than 4 hrs. I'm hoping training in the Texas summer will prepare me.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 7:05 PM , Blogger Colleen said...

Lately I have been having a lot of bad workouts. They feel harder then I think they should!!

Current goal is to run my first half marathon in September! Can't wait!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 7:10 PM , Blogger B said...

Such a good post! Too many people focus on only blogging the best of the workouts. Sure there are days when it feels great, but others where it's a drag.

I have just started working out again on a regular basis and incorporating some running--fitness goal is definitely a race in the future (not immediate future though)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 7:24 PM , Blogger Shannon said...

Couple of things:

1) Not sure if I should love you or hate you for getting me addicted to fro-yo. Since my first stop at one of the places in Springfield, I haven't gone to Springfield once without getting some fro-yo.

2) I kind of want to bake you some brownies right now.

3) Can you send a hottie my way?

4) I've been having a crap-load of bad workouts lately... I think I go through phases where most of my workouts/runs are bad for several weeks/a month/whatever... then once they get "good" again I'll have a pretty craptastic one at least once a week. Also, I feel like a failure at being a runner since I've been doing a lot more ellipticising recently...

 
At May 25, 2011 at 7:25 PM , Anonymous Kandis Reiley said...

Its so good to know other people have those days...especially someone with your running skillz! Some days I feel awesome.. I'm charging a hill and I feel like the bomb and somedays I feel like my thighs weigh 100lbs each (and look like it) and my run just sucks. Thanks for sharing!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 7:33 PM , Blogger Amanda@runninghood said...

You nailed another great post girlie! Love this. So true about balance and listening to our bodies. I kind of hit the wall there for a bit with my marathon training and found that I was just really needing a BREAK! My body was screaming at me and I obviously wasn't hitting my times. My current goal is to run a 3:15 or better marathon and someday in a few years I'd like to break 3 hours! I'm realizing more and more lately that this is possible with the right amount of work..which would mean having my kids older and in school! :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 7:40 PM , Blogger Running Ricig said...

"kiss a hottie" this definitely ended on a note I can get on board with :)

This post is awesome. I usually get over a bad workout by giving myself a break on the next one and then coming back with a vengence.

 
At May 25, 2011 at 7:59 PM , Blogger michael. mindy. dane. said...

love this. my last few runs have been pathetic. they were my first 2 times pushing my little daner in the jogging stroller. running+a 25 lb. 15 month old makes things much harder than just running. so anyway, they haven't been the best, but i liked reading this :)

ps, i realize i was tacky mctackster by asking you to mention our giveaway. but you should still enter. i think you deserve some free yogurtland for being the bomb.com :)

pps, the terra mia in the last post looks amazing.

ppps, i am soooo jealous that you're almost doen with school. i still have another WEEK! ah!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 8:02 PM , Blogger Christine said...

I have a few "bad" workouts a month, but honestly, they never get me down. 90% of America is sitting home on their butts and I'm being proactive about my health. Nothing bad about that!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 8:12 PM , Blogger Caitlin said...

i'm really sorry you had a crappy workout day, and are feeling bummed about your injury, but you did the right thing and blogged/vented about it and by writing to others how important it is to 'move on' and recognize we ALL have bad days, you not only helped the masses but you were able to pick yourself up too. having off/junky days, like you said, is always a part of training (i have one at least once a week too), it's that big question mark that your body gives you every time you start a workout or race. it also separates those who come back the next day to rock a 'good' workout and those who quit because they obsess about those bad days.
WAY easier said than done, but all the things you listed are right on the dot. take the bad days for what they are, and they also are opportunities to learn. if you're overtrained, adjust, if you're just plain having an off day, sometimes being proud of just getting the workout DONE is reason enough to be proud of yourself.
i'm with you in that after i finish a bad one, a perfect remedy is to refuel with a nice big sugar rush! hey, those carbs are much needed! :)
Stay strong girl, your injury will NOT last forever and enjoy all the myriad of other AWESOME things in your life. :)

PS- in an earlier post you said you were on the hunt for some kick-butt dessert recipes, well if you haven't checked out Chocolate Covered Katie's Blog (though, i'm sure you probably have) you need to ASAP!! http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/ this girl is AMAZING! :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 8:15 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

how funny that you posted this because just yesterday i was writing in my blog about how terrible my afternoon run was! from the humidity outside, to my legs feeling like lead, to almost getting hit (by a cop!), it was all i could do to not stop and walk the rest of the way home. it was so upsetting because sunday i had an AMAZING 6 mile run, then tuesday i barely made it through 4! i was beating myself up so much i finally had to just calm down and tell myself there will always be another run and that there are other parts of my day that bring me lots of happiness besides running. (like seeing the cute trainer at the gym or fro yo with my bff =)) it was so nice to read your post and get inside someone else's head who felt the same way i was feeling!

danielle

 
At May 25, 2011 at 8:23 PM , Anonymous Emily @ Sweating Sugar said...

I am sorry that you had a bad workout but it DOES help the rest of us with our bad workouts just knowing they happen to everyone- even rockstars like you!!!!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 8:48 PM , Blogger Dana said...

On Sunday I ran a 10k and it was one of 'those days'. I went out too fast, it was too hot, I had to 'go'..if you know what I mean, my ipod died at mile 3 and I was pacing with a girl who felt good when I was starting to mentally question myself. As soon as she took off (she started hitting her stride when I started losing mine), I gave into my negative thoughts and lost her. Mentally we are so much more powerful than we are physical and in our weakest moments, we need to remember that. We can make our bodies believe anything...and it should work in our favor!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 9:03 PM , Blogger The Hungered One said...

Brownies make everything better, seriously. I try to make sure I have enough recovery to avoid bad workouts. But sometimes they are inevitable. Usually I'm just slacking or spacing too much to get what needs to be done actually done. Soo much of it is mental, even when you do actually need a physical break.

Fitness goal: More brick workouts! That's a bike followed immediately by a run :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 9:05 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

During a training cycle i always have really bad workouts ( probably around 1/ 2 weeks ) and they are pretty hard to get over! For me, it is a confidence thing so I have this urge to do something I'm good at it RIGHT AWAY to make me feel better about myself. Sadly i do not have a long list of many natural gifts and if i am that sad I cant focus or apply myself to many things so usually cheering SOMEONE ELSE UP works for me. it seems counter intuitive because i'm the one in need of cheering up but it works. Seeing them come out of a funk and smile makes my whole day brighter. ANd i should probably thank my bf for laughing at my jokes post workout bc they probably aren't that funny!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 9:07 PM , Blogger Beccarigg said...

So I was having a really crappy day today, (non work-out related, just stress and illness in the family) anyway, I spent the last hour crying my eyes out and then I pulled up my google reader to check it one last time before bed and I saw this post. You made me smile again thinking of your cute face stashing emergency butterfingers in an aerobics class and eating fro-up with 500 gummy bears. Like someone else said, you really are the Oprah of the blogging world. You're funny, real, and you make people feel good. Thanks for the smile when I needed it. You're awesome : )

 
At May 25, 2011 at 9:09 PM , Blogger Beccarigg said...

Oops, meant fro-yo! That's what I get for commenting from my phone. Darn auto correct!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 9:24 PM , Blogger Katie said...

This is timely for me, I just had a speed workout FAIL today :(

I ran one mile at Goal 5k pace and as soon as I finished it I started thinking there is no way that I'll be able to hold that pace for a whole 5k.

I was supposed to run 2 more, but I didn't have anything left in me at all, I could barely wog (walk/jog) back to my house. I'm trying to brush it off, but I'm still a little upset :( And I gave up sugar 3 days ago so no candy, brownies, ice cream for me :/

 
At May 25, 2011 at 9:42 PM , Blogger Meg said...

"Kiss a hottie" just made me literally laugh out loud. When I have a bad workout, I go into pure distraction mode and think about what I'll do next time to rock it. Also, can you explain what's happening in that first pic? You've posted it before and I've always wanted to know the story behind it. :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 9:52 PM , Anonymous Dorry said...

I love you so much, Janae! You take your own frustration and turn it around to help others and give advice. You have an amazing heart and you are beautiful! Cutest photo of you and Billy ever. So in love. :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 9:53 PM , Anonymous Alaina said...

I do have bad runs every now and then, and sometimes they will get me down. But then they make the good runs seem GREAT! :-)

I'm hoping to PR in the half marathon this weekend!

 
At May 25, 2011 at 10:07 PM , Blogger Alisa said...

I ask myself why it was such a bad workout and learn from it. I had a horrible run last monday and it ended up being because of an IBS flair up. It wasn't my fault, it wasn't the run's fault, it was body spazzing out. It was much easier to get over it and now I'm more than prepared to face all my runs. But cookies helped too :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 10:14 PM , Blogger Mrs. JM said...

GREAT advice janae! call someone who understands (double underline). very important. tomorrow is a new day ... thank goodness, right?

 
At May 25, 2011 at 11:10 PM , Blogger Mac said...

My current running goal is to find a marathon and start training for it! Clearly I'm a first timer :)

 
At May 25, 2011 at 11:21 PM , Blogger Lindsey said...

When I have a bad workout, especially a run...I talk to anyone who will or will not listen (or even just myself) about I felt bad, but I was out there, and that it was actually an awesome run, because look how much progress I've made...I got up those certain hills, or did it in a faster time than I thought I'd have, etc.

 
At May 26, 2011 at 12:01 AM , Blogger Muncher Cruncher said...

I still think we need to open up Chubbies... ;) I love you to death girlie. Thanks for always listening to ME complain about my bad days/bad workouts/everything else. You da best. xoxoxo megs

 
At May 26, 2011 at 12:53 AM , Blogger Lauren said...

#7 always works. And I have a certain tall, tan, green-eyed hubby who is always available to help me bounce back from a bad workout. :)

 
At May 26, 2011 at 5:14 AM , Blogger Vanessa @ Gourmet Runner said...

This is such an awesome post. I think the best for me (after kissing a hottie and eating some sugar of course) is doing something apart from running. In that moment, if I'm focused on running I'll just be disappointed. So I remember all the other wonderful things in my life. Running will be there for me tomorrow!

 
At May 26, 2011 at 6:10 AM , Anonymous Wifey said...

AWESOME advice! Especially the brownie.

Winks & Smiles,
Wifey

 
At May 26, 2011 at 7:36 AM , Anonymous Cyndi @ Weightless Life said...

Great post as always! I especially like the "kiss a hottie" advice. That always makes me feel better too. I get over a bad workout by distracting myself. I try not to focus on the bad workout, but I will try to figure out what made it a bad workout and avoid it in the future.

Before this weekend my last two races were really terrible. I have bad runs every so often, but I just tell myself that makes the good runs feel even better.

My current goal is to keep having fun running, and eventually bust out that marathon in October.

 
At May 26, 2011 at 7:53 AM , Blogger Jen said...

This is such a good post because all of us have crappy workouts at some point or another. But I like everything you said. And sometimes just a few days of sulking help. There has to be a grieving period after all!
My current goal is to just have fun running. Run with a smile! Embrace the suck!

 
At May 26, 2011 at 10:06 AM , Anonymous Shah'ada said...

Thank you for this post ... I had a horrible run yesterday and struggled at first before making myself snap out of it. It happens. But I'm going out to that same trail today to kick its butt. Hard.

 
At May 26, 2011 at 12:26 PM , Anonymous Christina said...

Love this post. I had a terrible training run last Sunday -- everything went wrong. And it was my last long run before the half marathon and the whole time I kept thinking how I wasn't going to do well in the race, etc. But it was just one run, and after my boyfriend (who's running with me) assured me I was ready and would be fine, I'm feeling better about it. It's great to know everyone goes through this though :)

 
At May 26, 2011 at 1:00 PM , Blogger Jess @ Blonde Ponytail said...

Yes! Love this Janae. Your posts are so on par--even with your lack of running you reach the running community.

I am so thankful for this post, as my marathon still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. You're right on so many levels. And, I do not have to face the challenge you do of healing stress fractures. Thinking of you.

 
At May 26, 2011 at 8:21 PM , Blogger Natalie said...

thanks for this post, you rock girl. i've been in such a slump lately...time to pull out of it!

so glad you're off school to entertain us even more frequently! ;)

 
At May 27, 2011 at 8:01 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for this fab post, Janae! It's hard to remember that you have to deal with the bad in order to cherish the good when you're having a rough workout. But it always will get better!

You can totally swim 100 minute straight! =)

 

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