I went for a run today.   I know that is just shocking!   The thing is today’s run was actually a thing of beauty.   Now, I don’t mean that I looked spectacular while running because I’m pretty sure that never happens as the below is probably closer to the truth.

What I mean is that there are runs where everything just seems to come together and it is a thing of beauty.   Today was such a day.    To be honest, today was the type of run that I needed.   We all know that I had let the doubts creep in, but this last week I’ve seem to push them aside.   I’ve had a couple of good runs, but today was the money shot.   Today was the all feared, all dreaded cut-down.   The bane of my existence.   A run that if I flubbed again would get inside my head.

I was ready for it.   I kept reading my coaches email with words of encouragement.   I read and reread a blog post she did called One Bad Apple.   That post really helped because it made me realize that I was not the only one who did this and that it was up to me to remember the good runs.

I went into this run prepared.

I went into this run with the confidence.

I went into this run knowing that I could do this.

  I remembered all the good runs that I had leading up to it.   I knew that I could do it.   I knew that I had done it in the past.   I knew in this instance the only one holding me back was me.   I also knew that I would need to change the way that I was going into these runs.    I had to stop psyching myself out and instead look at them as the challenge they are supposed to be.   Life without challenges would be boring.   You may be shaking your head no, but think about it.   What happens when things become to easy, you get bored and move onto something else.    So I needed to take this challenge and go with it.   I needed to steer into the skid and just enjoy the ride.

Not only did I hit all the paces that I wanted to, but I did them while feeling great doing so.    Some runs you may hit your target pace, but it just feels so hard it makes you wonder why you are even doing it.   Some runs, you do let it get to you making you doubt yourself.   Then some runs the stars align and it all just seems to come together to remind you that this is what it is all about.   These are the runs that must be held onto when the doubts creep in.   These are the runs that we should remember.   No not every run is going to give you the “runners high,” but you need to hold onto it.   You need to internalize it.    You need to remember.

It really is easy to let one bad apple spoil the bunch.

I found it more than a little poetic that I literately came across this apple towards the end of today’s run.   It was almost like the universe was giving me a sign.  It may have just been an apple that someone threw out their car window, but either way it was a reminder that are a whole lot more good apples waiting to be had as long as you don’t give up.

I’m not fooling myself into thinking that just because I had a great run today that my training is going to be easy or that every run is going to feel this way.   I’m pretty sure that after my 16 miles tomorrow, I won’t be feeling so good BUT

I will remember

and

if by some chance I forget;

I know there will be people there to remind me.

Do you remember your good runs or your bad runs?

I