When It's Mental

This morning I woke up for a 3.5 mile run. I didn't really have a route in mind, just thought I'd run south along the East River for 1.5 miles, turn around and run along the Charles Shurz Park and back home. I slept a little later than planned (6am instead of 5:30am) but was out the door by 6:25am, after sipping a small iced coffee (I made it last night!). Since my calves have been bothering me (again) I put on my ZensahRunning Leg Sleeves, hoping they'd help.

I need to remember a few things:
1) I need at least 40 minutes to fully wake up before going for a run. 25 minutes is not enough and I still feel sleepy.
2) I HATE running on the East River path. It's a cobblestone like pathway and it's really uneven. This is where I injured my foot last summer and it makes me nervous and I change my gait which affects my feet and calves. Bad.
3) It is summer. The sun is hot. I need a hat or visor.
4) Water.

Needless to say, because I "forgot" all of the above, it was a poor run. The pathway stretches along the river for a mile (from where I started on East 81st Street) before it goes up a ramp and continues on. I knew my legs were failing me so I turned around at that point (and I was SO happy to find a water fountain here). There was a lot of walking and in the end, I only completed 2.66 miles.

I hate admitting that I didn't make it to 3.5 because I feel like I failed. However, I'm trying to change my outlook on things and am trying to think of the positives: I got up and ran this morning (when normally I hit the snooze), I ran 2.66 miles instead of NOTHING, and even though I know I have a lot to work on right now, I also know I can DO IT. I know I will not have perfect runs every time I go out there and sometimes it's completely mental. Once my calves started aching (my leg sleeves failed me today) I immediately started thinking negatively and basically told myself this wasn't going to be a good run. So it wasn't. What would have happened if I told myself it was going to be a great run? Would I have kept running?

In the end, I got a (shorter) run in, I sweat (a lot) and learned that when it gets mental I need to reinforce positive thinking. I will also be investing in a hat/visor and most likely a Camelbak Hydration pack. Training in 13 degree weather is MUCH different than 80-90 degree weather.

Great tips for running in the heat!!!