It's wet, cold and dark outside. November rain can really drain your motivation. It feels like I'm stuck under a heavy blanket when I think about getting out running. But that's not all. I've had a setback in fitness as well. After overstretching myself twice. First I cranked up distance volume way too quickly during summer. Then I participated in a trail marathon way too early considering my fitness level. The result? I got myself back to square one. So what should I do? Cry and give up?
Nope. Well, maybe cry a little bit over the lost fitness - but then it's time to get back on track. After the trail marathon I cut myself some slack. I really needed it to recover. My knees were painful for more than a week afterwards. So I actually couldn't have been training although I did want to. Slowly I got myself together and started cautious jogging only to find out I had lost a lot of fitness. It felt devastating - but what can you do? All that work had been wasted. Or that's what I thought back then.
Now I've logged 30-40 km/week consistently for the last three weeks. Most of the "lost" fitness came back very quickly. The windy, cold, dark November rain is still an issue though. How do I deal with it? I try to plan my running as a way to commute to work. I decide on which days I will run there, and on which days I will run home. Then I set up the logistics so that I have to follow my plan or suffer. If I don't stick with it I'm either without proper shoes at work, or I have to borrow money for the bus home or I have to wear wrinkly shirts, sometimes all at the same day. It gets me over the psychological barrier of demotivation. When I do get out, I actually don't care about the icy rain stabbing my face and the slippery mud sucking at my feet. I actually feel proud of myself for sticking with it. I feel strong for following through even if it costs me some.
When it comes to the bottom line it's all about some basic facts of life. The days pass and never come back. If I want to make my dreams reality I can't afford to waste my time coming up with excuses. But whats even more important is to try to really enjoy the moment and keep an open heart, because destiny can change even the most well thought out plans. That's all I have to say for November. Take care people, of yourselves and of each other.
