Monday is a great day to re-group and re-focus on the important things.
I’ve been thinking a lot about pace over the last week. The problem with having a very big goal is that you are always thinking about it. No matter what it is always there in the back of your mind. I know I need to get faster. I also know that I need to get faster the correct way.
I will never improve my speed and running without staying healthy.
I’ve realized however every run is not about pace.
Pace isn’t everything. Pace doesn’t make you a runner. Running makes you a runner.
It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you go all that matters is that you are getting out there. It has taken me some time to come to this conclusion with myself.
In fact, yesterday I went out on my “long” run for the week. I didn’t increase the mileage from last week and I ran 7 miles.
Thankfully we had a beautiful day and I was able to run it outside. That in itself was a blessing. I started out and I knew I needed to take it slow. However, slow to me is relative. Some days slow can be a 9:00 min/pace and some days it can mean a 10:30 min/pace.
Today was one of those where the slower I went the better. I started to catch myself being way too hard on myself. I caught myself getting frustrated that I was running as slow as I was. I was frustrated that I wasn’t doing better.
After a couple stops and a little pep talk I came to the conclusion – who cares. I used to tell myself that if I went too slow then I wasn’t really a runner. Today was a day my body wanted to go slower. It didn’t mean I was any less of a runner. It just meant that I needed to take it easy.
Unless you are doing workouts (speed/tempo) the most important thing you can do is listen to your body. If you are running easy then run based on effort. If I have a good day and my “low effort” is an 8:30 – 9:00 min/pace – great! If I run easy a few days later and anything above 10:00 min/mile is too much then that’s great as well. The key is letting your body determine what it can handle.
I haven’t always been good at this and sometimes I still fall back into the trap of “I always need to go faster”. Easy days mean easy, no matter what that is. Easy days will keep you healthy.
Every time I want to complain or get frustrated with running, I remind myself that I am blessed to be able to run. Even if I go out there and run the slowest miles I’ve ever run – I am running. A few months ago I couldn’t have said that. We too often get caught up in the pace that we forget the joy and point of running.
Running to me isn’t about racing. Sure, I am planning on working my butt off to qualify for the Boston Marathon but it isn’t what running is to me. Running to me is a passion, a love and my own personal therapy. The moment it becomes about racing is the moment that I stop enjoying it. Even when I am training for a race, I still enjoy the runs. I enjoy pushing myself but more than that I enjoy what running brings to my life.
In conclusion if you are still with me after all my ramblings: run your own pace. Don’t let others determine your pace, don’t push too hard and remember to go easy on yourself. We are all in this together.
Do you have to remind yourself to go “easy” on the easy days?
What do you enjoy most about running?
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I love this. I actually just got in from running a 5k with a friend. I ran 21 miles Saturday so my legs were killing me (and my achilles is acting up.) She’s a newbie runner and will be doing her first 5k race this weekend. We ran our 5k today in 39 minutes and were both thrilled. She ran the whole time without stopping, and I’m happy I could run at all after saturday! Pace is so relative. In the end we gave each other a high five and I realized running is running is running. No matter the pace or the distance.
So true Erica! Sometimes we all need a little reminder of this. Of course I want to get quicker – it’s my dream but it doesn’t matter how fast you run you are always a runner! We have to learn to cut ourselves a break from time to time 🙂 Good for you!!
This has been one of my biggest lessons over the years with my running! But in doing a lot of research, I have found that if you take your long runs slower you end up racing faster (usually). Since I am just out there to have some fun and don’t race, I am OK with taking every run as fast or as slow as my body tells me (but it really took a lot of self talk to get there).
Excellent post, once again, Sara.
Very true! Long runs are sometimes my biggest struggle simply because I always want to see if I can do it quickly, but just like you said it is very important to remember that slow runs ARE a big part of a training plan and they do help keep you healthy and racing strong! I always remind myself to focus on speed during my workouts and then let my body determine my pace on the other runs. The important thing is that you are getting out there! 🙂 Thanks Susan!
Sometimes, I find that when I have that “easy day” mentality, my runs aren’t all that much slower pace-wise, but my perceived effort is a lot lower. Sometimes I even run faster when I’m relaxed and “taking it easy”. It blows my mind how that works.
That happens to me sometimes too! There are some days when my “easy effort” is an 8:50 average (pretty fast for me right now) and then other days when I am struggling to keep a 10:00. It always amazes me when I have one of those fast “easy effort” days. I just try to go off how my body is feeling.
Love this! I have a hard time slowing down as well. Often I “know” I can go faster and I do when really I should just slow down and enjoy it. I think this comes from the runner mentality of all of us wanting to continually push ourselves even if our bodies say no because on race day that’s what we do – push ourselves even if our bodies say no! This is definitely something I am trying to focus more on, slowing down when it’s not a speed working. Great post!
So true Ariana! I Think we are always under the thinking that we need to go quicker, but in truth running slow helps us to become better runners! My goal is to focus on really taking my “easy” days this week and make sure to relax and ENJOY!
Love all your quotes. Especially the first one. I always say that to friends who say they are not fast! Sometimes i find being too hard on myself then i have to realize you are your biggest critique and you are only competing with yourself. It takes the fun out of running, and thats why we do it:)
Oh Lacey I know how you feel! I am so often the worst critic of myself! Some days we just have to remind ourselves why we first started running and the ENJOYMENT of it. Of course, getting faster and reaching goals is enjoyable too but there is room for both! 🙂
Wow this post was exactly what I needed to read today! I am running Boston in 2 weeks and also coming off an injury that slowed me down big time from the pace that I qualified, and so naturally as I’ve recovered I’ve also been obsessing about recovering my old speed! nice to be reminded that speed is not what makes you a runner. I need to hear that. I have been having trouble allowing “easy days” and secretly wanting to run fast all the time, which leads to disappointment on a lot of runs. Which is NOT what I want to get out of running! Thanks for this reminder, great post!
Good luck to you in Boston Michele!! I will be there cheering on my husband. He is in the same position as you in a lot of ways. He had an injury and had to take almost a month off. He is coming back but is not going to be able to do what he had originally planned! Just go out there, do the best you can and enjoy the experience! That is his plan. It is going to be an amazing race! I look forward to being there to cheer him, you and all the rest of the runners on!
Thanks and good luck to your husband as well! Injuries suck but can be an amazing learning experience as a runner. I am trying to have the same mindset in terms of enjoying the race, I mean seriously what an amazing race to be a part of!
So true! Looking forward to being there 🙂
This is a great reminder! I too beat myself up over pace then have the Aha! moment. WHO CARES! Running is running and we do it to feel better, and hey to look better. Miles are miles no matter how fast or slow you run them. 🙂 thanks for the reminder!
I really needed this today. I struggled at the beginning of this last week with feeling guilty for running “slow”. Luckily, I was able to slow down for my long run on Saturday, but all of this is something I kept in my mind. Thanks for sharing!
Sometimes we all just need a little reminder 🙂 Glad to know I am not the only one who struggles with this though! Hope you have a awesome week of running!
Couldn’t have said it better. I always joke that I am a middle-of-the-pack runner, to justify why I’m not as fast other runners. But my pace does not determine my skill, my passion, or my effort. Thanks for the post and we all need a little reminder every once in awhile 🙂
That is so true! Your passion and effort are only determined by you! It is so hard for us not to compare ourselves to others – but we should remember we are all unique!
I always have to remind myself of this! It’s so easy to look at a pace chart and say “OK, my easy pace is x” but easy days are all about listening to your body!!