A Failed Workout (...Really???)

Joy here...Since this is, in fact, a running blog, and since I am, in fact, signed up for a half marathon running race, I figure that in addition to posting about my newfound love of cross country skiing and my summer adventures with cycling, I should probably actually write something about running every now and then.

Well, of course, that would be dependent on me actually running every now and then.

The view of one of the little stands dotted along the frozen
Rideau Canal.

So today I laced up my trusty New Balance Minimus trail running shoes to head out into the snowy world for a 10km run.  At first I was feeling great.  The sun was shining up above in the late afternoon, and the world seemed quiet as the snow lay lightly on the frozen canal.  The arches of my feet hurt ever-so-slightly, but that's to be expected with these minimal shoes.  My arches hurt less when I was in Malaysia using my Vibram Five Fingered shoes, because most of the rest of the time I was either barefoot or in no-support flip flop type shoes.  But here, I'm wearing my heavy-duty boots most of the time, so my arches aren't getting the same workout on a regular basis, so I wasn't surprised when they ached a bit on this run.  (I mean my last run was over two weeks ago!)  And then when my left knee started to hurt a bit, I also wasn't too surprised or worried.  I mean, I've had some pain in my left knee before (as early as August 2010), and I know that when I build up my leg strength, the knee pain goes away.  So with a little ache in my arches and a bit of discomfort in my left knee, I was trundling along, all set for my 10km run.  I figured that I'd monitor those little pains, but otherwise, I felt good and light on my feet.

But then my route took me on a stretch of the canal path that was entirely flooded.

Totally.

I'm talking a lake here:

I have to run through THAT???

At first I thought I could just run along the snow banks at the side of the flooded pathway.  But after a few meters that proved rather treacherous and not worth it.  So I just figured that I'd run through the water.  I plunged right in, splashing myself up to my thighs and totally soaking my feet with frigid water.  I ran for over a kilometre sloshing through the icy waters, when the pain in my feet began to be too much to bear.  They were stinging and I could feel my face wincing against my will.

Yep, I ran through it.

So when there was a break in the path that lead to another street, I decided I'd have to just cut my run short and head for home before I caused some sort of permanent damage to myself, or made myself get sick from the cold and damp feet.

And as I ran along the side road home (my feet stinging with every step and sloshing along on the icy road), I was thinking about how I wouldn't make my 10kms and my run was failed for the day.

I've failed other workouts before, but last week when my Trainer was giving me a little tough-love pep talk, she laughed when I was telling a story about failing a workout.  At first I didn't understand, but then through her giggles she told me that the very fact of doing a workout - just getting out there and moving - by definition was a success.  It's a logical impossibility to fail a workout, because simply doing it is already success.

It was an intriguing thought.  Instead of thinking I failed my 10km run today, I ran the rest of the way thinking that I succeeded in my 6km run.  6kms is better than nothing, right?

So even though today's run wasn't long; it wasn't fast, and it wasn't what I had planned, I'm going to call it a success and go and soak my feet in some warm water until they thaw out.

Over and out,
Joy