Runner's Dilemma #38 — When Heading Out for a Run Feels Too Hard
Runner's Log | Runner's Dilemma #38 When Heading Out for a Run Feels Too Hard You know those social media videos: “me before the run” and “me after the run.” That video is exactly how we feel. I have to go, but I really don’t want to, so I dawdle and dawdle. After a lot of agonizing, I finally step out the front door. And after the run, I come back home elated, like a conquering hero who has everything. Running feels this good once it’s done. Isn’t there a way to start it with a lighter heart? This is the thought that made it easier for me. ‘Why not just go for a walk?’ I keep my pace slow, 8 or 9 minutes per km, just going through the motions of running. At a speed that looks barely different from walking, plenty of runners pass me by. ‘Okay, I’ll just go an easy 3km.’ With that mindset, I make it to 1km. As 2km approaches, my pace drops into the 7-minute range. My body has warmed up a little, but it isn’t hard. By the time I’m filling out the 3km, I’m already running in the...
