Robert - I know what you mean about being scared to have a bad run. I've dealt with this...
intellectually, for want of a better word. I've come to celebrate the occasional appearance of bad runs, because it's only by the existence of the bad ones that we can really enjoy the good ones. It's not an original thought, but imagine if everything in the world was beautiful. How would we know? It's only because there are is so much ugliness about that we can identify beauty. If all our runs went really well, perhaps we wouldn't enjoy them so much. Having the occasional bad one allows us to truly appreciate the good ones. That's a bit philosophical, but it's the only way I can deal with things I don't like much.
It can be very easy to miss several days running like you describe. A few random thoughts:
- start to regard running as non-negotiable time. Think of a run as an essential part of your day (or of certain pre-decided days). We wouldn't say "I was going to have a shower this morning but I didn't have time", or "I was really hungry when I got home but I didn't have time to eat". We make time for things that we regard as essential.
- as long as running is thought of as some kind of treat, it's always likely to be cancelled. If you think of a run not as a treat but as your daily feel-good session, it becomes much harder to miss.
- you've said that when you miss several days in a row you feel you've undone your good work. I feel the same. So I just try to make sure it doesn't happen. If I missed a run yesterday, I know that it's even more important that I don't miss today's. The knowledge that I'll be squandering the investment makes me more detemined not to miss today's, even if that means getting up half an hour earlier.
- running makes me feel great. I don't let myself think of a run as some kind of obligation. Even though it's half an hour or 45 minutes out of my life, I know that it's gives a fantastic fillip to the day. So much so that I reckon I claw back that 45 minutes in any case, because my extra clear-headedness and enthusiasm makes me work better!
Do think about a half marathon. That's all. Just think about it. If you can run 6 miles you can learn to run 13. I'm sorry if this sounds like pressure being put on you. It's not. It's the opposite - it's the offer of a reward. When I did the London marathon, someone said to me something like "26 miles! That must be terrible!!" I had to explain to them that no, doing the marathon was not the ultimate self-punishment, it was actually the REWARD for putting in all those months of training and sacrifice, and all those frozen, wretched mornings. Today I was running in a race in front of hundreds of thousands of cheering people, knowing that they thought I was amazing and special. The moment when you turn right into Tower Bridge Road and feel the roar of thousands of flag-waving spectators is enough to make a grown man cry.
Give yourself more grief and inconvenience and anxiety about finding time for your runs, Robert. But all the time, look forward to pay-back time next spring (or whenever), when it all becomes worth it.
Take a look at
http://www.halhigdon.com, and check out Hal's half marathon schedules for 'novice' runners. You'll be pleasantly surprised at just how do-able it is.
Andy
