Running Fitness and Building Brick Walls

BE PATIENT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR RUNNING FITNESS

We all have those days where we feel amazing post run.

AND

We all have those runs where we struggle to simply get out the front door.

What about those weeks where every session just seems tough, and you ‘think’ your running fitness is declining? It’s during these times you should think about two things.

The first is how much ‘Life Stress’ are you under? 

As much as you try and convince yourself that it doesn’t, the stress you are under at work, within your family unit, or simply in everyday life WILL affect your running fitness.

You do not have separate energy reserves (or Nervous System, but that’s a whole other conversation) to use in your daily life, and then another for your running training. The fatigue you feel after a long day/week at work will directly inhibit your ability to achieve personal best training times.
(Adrenaline and synthetic aids aside…)

So, what can you do in order to continue to increase your running fitness during a stressful time in your life? 

Cut yourself some slack! 

Understand that when life stress increases, your running fitness probably won’t increase in that perfectly upward arc you’d hope it would – and that’s ok!

The second thing I’d like you to focus on when you feel your running fitness seems to be declining due to your life stress, is to just show up!
Listening to your body with COMPLETE honesty is a skill, and one that will only become more fine tuned over time, and without your ego, Strava segments, or personal best times in mind. I’m not saying when your life stress is high you shouldn’t train, or it’s an excuse to take it easy, or even to cut your session short. (Or though, these could be the best option on the odd occasion.)

Completing each session you have planned is a big win, and NOT expecting any personal bests, while giving your BEST for that day should be your goal. 

If you don’t show up and give your best (for that day), then how can you set yourself up to achieve your personal bests in the future?

I want to leave you with an analogy I use with some of my running clients who struggle with the lack of increased length of sessions, or even decline in intensity during their training weeks.

Running fitness is like building a brick wall.

Yes, ideally you’d like to increase the size of the bricks you are using to build a wall over time, and even the amount that you can lay in a ‘day.’ Building a wall in this way will create that big, strong, and personal best breaking wall you envision in your head, right?

However, for whatever reason, if the bricks you are using to build this wall never change in size, and you consistently lay the same amount of bricks each day, each week, then over time, you will still create a big strong wall.

My point is simple, consistency of running is the key to improving your running fitness. 

Show Up Daily

Give Your Best (for that day)

Smile When You Cross Those Daily Finish Lines

*** If you are looking for a running coach, send me an email here and let’s connect.