To have felt that I had slipped backwards would have been pretty stressful, and I read recently that stress from whatever source is interpreted the same way by your body. These stresses are many and varied and include causes such as work, family, illness and physical training.
There is an analogy in place between how the body can cope with stress and the events at Rorke’s Drift in 1879 depicted in one of my favourite movies “Zulu
This is certainly something to take into consideration in your overall training, without which you could easily send yourself on a downward spiral towards overtraining. If you do have an intense period of work, or a major family event which will increase stress you need to adjust you training accordingly. It all comes down to having flexible running goals and realistic expectations. Even the professional elite have to do this when they fall ill or pick up an injury, or suffer a stressful home situation.
The assumption from this idea is that training is a stress, and while there is an obvious physiological strain associated with ultra distance running, there is also a therapeutic benefit. It is well known that regular exercise if a prescribed treatment for depression, and as I’ve seen on a T-shirt – “It’s cheaper than therapy!”

So don’t stress out with your running, it is meant to be fun. Be aware of your limits to withstand stress and adjust your expectations accordingly.
Run Happy
Andy
Andy -- thanks for this post. I am currently stressed out right now from assuming new professional duties, and I realized my running was stressing me out, too, because I'm falling behind on my training for upcoming races. Your message reminded me to view my running as a relief from stress and source of enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the journey!
ReplyDeleteGotta run.
Yeah sometimes the fun can get a little lost in the training. In the end its all about the enjoyment and experience
ReplyDeleteFirst, Zulu is one of my all time favorite movies. Second, very good point to keep in mind. I'm struggling with stress and wound up pushing myself to a minor injury running too hard. I'm just getting back into running after many years off, started last year and trying to get serious this year...
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Thanks for your comments guys,
ReplyDeleteI still find it difficult to enjoy the experience when I'm doing 10 hard hill repeats though!!
Running can actually help you reduce stress. Exercise regularly to maintain your fitness.
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