How You Feel Before Starting A Run <> How You Feel Running

You ever have a day where you just don't want to run? Today is was gray, dreary, misting, windy and I felt tired. I kept putting off my scheduled 8 mile run. Finally, I decided just go out, start running, and get it done. Well shortly after starting out, I found myself feeling better than expected. My legs felt good so I decided to do the 8 miles close to my half-marathon pace. I ended up having one of my better runs, achieving my distance and time goals.

My point is that I could have easily talked myself into NOT going running today due to the weather and my general feeling. But I've learned form experience that how I am feeling prior to a run often doesn't equate to how I will feel after I start running. Today was a run where I actually felt the opposite during the run as I did before the run.

So ignore the weather and how you feel and start running. Evaluate your body after you've done a mile or so and then decide what kind of run it will be.At least for me, how I feel before I lace up and get going is not a good predictor of how my run will go. Of course the opposite has been true. I've had days where I feel great, but after starting the run my body tells me it is just not up for what I'd planned and we'd better cut the distance, pace, or both.