When You Hate Running

I signed up to do a 50 miler on Saturday called Moab’sAlpine To Slickrock. One report I read said the difficulty level of the race is 9 on a scale of 1-10. The elevation certainly confirms that I may be crying at some point during the race.

I decided to do the race as a last long training run before the Javelina Jundred 100 miler next month. So I’ll do the 50 miler, then three weeks later the St. George Marathon, then three weeks later the Javelina Jundred.

I really love running. I seriously love being out on the trail for hours. I love the whole race experience. I really, really love those things.

Most of the time.

But inevitably at some point in a race I hate running. I seriously hate it. I am convinced that running is the stupidest hobby since collecting Garbage Pail Kids cards. And then I talk myself out of whatever race I have coming up. I never want to run again. I never want to do a race ever again. I think most of us go through phases like this whether in training or in races.

So what do you do when you reach that point when you decide you want to stop running and take up stamp collecting? Here are my suggestions:

1) Eat a Hostess product. (Actually, this is my first solution to any of life’s dilemmas.)

2) Remember that there are peaks and valleys. It's okay to go through some rough patches. In order to have the good, you need to have a little bad. 

3) Remind yourself that the harder the task is, the bigger will be that sense of accomplishment you will feel when you are done.

4) WAIT. Don’t make any immediate decisions. When your brain starts saying “Ugh. I want to drop out because running is dumb.” Or “I’m never doing a race ever again because only idiots run for hours on end.” just tell that part of your brain to shut up. Chances are that the low point will pass. Maybe it will take a while. But it will pass. 

5) Slap yourself and remember how fortunate you are to even be able to run. I work with lots of sick people who would give anything to be able to run for a mile. You are blessed. Don’t take it for granted.

6) Then, for good measure, eat one Hostess Donette.