My mind/will gave out on my training run this morning... :(

I just had a terrible run this morning. And I'm a little worried. I planned on a 6-8 mile run this morning. I got good sleep...ate a little...it was beautiful out. I got about 2.5 miles into my run...and I just quit. I couldn't go on.

But I don't know why! I wasn't THAT tired, sore, exhausted, whatever. I've run through much more pain, soreness, exhaustion, etc. But for the first time...I just mentally quit. It's my like my mind said, "Nope, not gonna endure the discomfort of pushing myself today. F that."

So I started walking. I tried to start up again...but I'd get maybe thirty seconds to a minute down the road...and I'd quit. Walk. Try to start up again...and again, I'd quit. It ended up being a 3.8 mile run in about 35 minutes, says my trusty Garmin...but I must have walked like the last mile or more.

Why couldn't I just keep running? I'm very upset that my mind quit like that...not my body, I can handle it if my body just runs out of steam...but I can't have my mind/will quit like that. Is this normal? Will this event make it easier for me to shut down like that in the future?

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Originally Posted by celerystalksme

I just had a terrible run this morning. And I'm a little worried. I planned on a 6-8 mile run this morning. I got good sleep...ate a little...it was beautiful out. I got about 2.5 miles into my run...and I just quit. I couldn't go on.

But I don't know why! I wasn't THAT tired, sore, exhausted, whatever. I've run through much more pain, soreness, exhaustion, etc. But for the first time...I just mentally quit. It's my like my mind said, "Nope, not gonna endure the discomfort of pushing myself today. F that."

So I started walking. I tried to start up again...but I'd get maybe thirty seconds to a minute down the road...and I'd quit. Walk. Try to start up again...and again, I'd quit. It ended up being a 3.8 mile run in about 35 minutes, says my trusty Garmin...but I must have walked like the last mile or more.

Why couldn't I just keep running? I'm very upset that my mind quit like that...not my body, I can handle it if my body just runs out of steam...but I can't have my mind/will quit like that. Is this normal? Will this event make it easier for me to shut down like that in the future?

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I think we all have days where it's just not going to happen. Some days the body isn't willing but on other the will just isn't there. Don't beat yourself up about it. Will this make you more likely to quit in the future? I don't think so. I think you'll want to avoid this soul searching and will push through next time. Take a break and then get back to it when you are ready.

Sometimes your intuition overpowers your will. When was your last checkup/physical? God forbid anything serious is wrong, but you might want to go get checked out. Or maybe it was your guardian angel (if you believe in guiding spirits) protecting you from something dangerous down the road. Or, yeah, maybe it's just a bonk.

I had a workout like that once. A quarter mile into my normal walking route, and I just couldn't go farther. I stopped right where I was and sat on a low wall for the longest time trying to assess. I didn't feel sick, tired, nothing. No weird heart rhythms, no shortness of breath, no muscle strains. Nada. But my mind would not let me walk on. I finally got up and returned home, and went out the next day with no problem.

Good luck on tomorrow's run.

Roxy

sometimes a bonk, or coming down with something, does not feel like it at all. Maybe it was one of these two, I've had it before.

Don't beat yourself up and don't dwell on it. Some days it just isn't there. Your body might be more tired than you think, or your nutrition may not have been right. You might have something on your mind that you didn't realize. Whatever reason, sometimes runs/rides/exercise just doesn't happen. It's not a harbinger for next time. Forget about this run and look forward to the next one.

Are you overtrained? Maybe you just need a break.

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Originally Posted by ny biker

Are you overtrained? Maybe you just need a break.

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I don't feel overtrained. I feel physically fine. I usually allow myself one or two rest days per week. But I think it has become a mental grind?

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Originally Posted by celerystalksme

I don't feel overtrained. I feel physically fine. I usually allow myself one or two rest days per week. But I think it has become a mental grind?

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Once every six weeks you have to give yourself a break (at least 3 days no sports). You'll be much stronger afterwards.

The same happened to me this morning, I could barely get throug the swim, then at the velodrome, it started to rain, which I was sooooo thankful for, so we didn't ride, and when we got to the track I did 2 loops and then had to walk, coach asked what was going on, was I down, and I said no, just didn't have a drop of energy to get me going...had already eaten breakfast, slept enough hours, so I quit and came home and slept two more hours...but still feel weak, listen listen listen to the body. We do this cause we love to, if our mind OR body says no, it is fine.

As soon as it is forced...well, not as much gratification. I get up every morning EXCITED to go train...so if I can't do it, I had better listen. Although it sucked to not train well.

I read an article last year - I think it was a Fit Chick thing in Bicycling mag - that said you should include notes on your mood in your training log, so you can identify a bad mood trend as mental overtraining and take a break/ease up when necessary.

Unfortunately I read the article after I had already done my big bike ride for the year (which for me is the Philly Livestrong Challenge), but this year I plan to take her advice. I have a bad habit of getting so stressed by all the training that by the time I get to the event, I'm cranky and crabby and ready to bite someone's head off. Within a few weeks after it's over, I decide I'm sick of my bike and don't want to ride it anymore. Hopefully this year I will be able to make some adjustments during my training so I can keep in a better frame of mind and enjoy riding more.

I was sick of going to the gym today, so this morning I got out the wheelbarrow and dug and carried and dug and carried until my front flower bed was bare of any grass or root of weed. Then I dug up old bricks that were a walkway for the smokehouse and moved them. I'm sore and tired! Who needs the gym? :)

It was way more refreshing than a trip to the gym. Maybe you need to do something else instead?

Karen

Having run for as many years as I have, I feel confident in saying you were just having one of those days..
Give yourself permission to take a break, and you will be stronger for it.
One day whilst training for Ironman I was midway through a swim workout when I just quit. I wanted to go home and make a chocolate cake. So I did.
And boy howdy did it feel good. I needed the break!

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Originally Posted by celerystalksme

But for the first time...I just mentally quit. It's my like my mind said, "Nope, not gonna endure the discomfort of pushing myself today. F that."

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I had the same thing happen to me in early February..went down to the basement, got on the trainer, did a few revolutions and quit. E-mailed my coach who told me to take 2 weeks off..only do what I felt like doing. For the first week, I did nothing. The next week did 1 bike, 1 run and 2 X-Fit classes. Then I was ready to go back.

I guess I needed permission to take a break. I rarely complain about my training schedule and 98% of the time do the training I am asked to do. So I guess my coach was intuitive enough to know- I needed some time off.

I agree with NYB to journal your moods during training - and do not be afraid to take the time off.

When I am feeling like that, I usually give myself about 15 mins. If after that period of time, I am sill really not in to it, I just call it a day. It will be ok. Relax for a day or two. You will get your mojo back.

RocknRoll: I've always heard that... push through for 10 minutes. If you still feel awful and don't want to continue, stop. Rest. Otherwise, a majority of the time, things are better by the end of that 10 minutes and you've gotten into some kind of groove. I have to admit, not always, though! Time to rest is sometimes a must, and your body does try to tell you.