The pile of shame | The Yorkshire Dad of 4

The Pile of Shame

It is there in the corner of the room. Staring at you. It’s glare burning into the back of your head as you turn to avoid eye contact. There’s no escaping its presence any longer. You have to acknowledge it. The runner’s pile of shame!

Though it pains me to admit it, this is something that I have experienced often. Today, in fact.

You diligently layout out your pile of running kit before going to bed (or, like me, throw it all on the floor outside the bathroom). You go to bed with the intention of getting up to go for a run. But…

When that alarm goes at 5am and you feel like you only just went to sleep and why do I have to get up and oh my God I am not doing this just shut up alarm and go away…

Yeah, one of those mornings!

It happens. We’re all human. Sometimes we just don’t want to get up at 5am on a winter morning and go for a 9-mile run. Even if you’re into week 4 of training for a marathon. Even if you took an extra rest day the day before.

Shit happens. That’s all.

I am trying so hard not to be too self-critical when I fail to exercise. But holy heck is it hard sometimes. Of course, it’s made worse when you see other people out running.

But I am a full-time worker with a family. I am not a sponsored professional athlete who can get up when they want to and feel refreshed a ready to go and carry out their training and more sensible hour (probably in daylight).

I won’t likely run now until Saturday and I’m not sure about Sunday. So at worst I’ll have run twice this week, and best three times. And I am OK with that.

Bad weeks happen just like bad days.

I’ve got plenty of training time ahead of me. The bonus is that the lighter nights and mornings are coming. You can see it, just about. That is exciting, isn’t it?

Thanks for reading.

D


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