BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Embrace Those Bad Training Runs

Hello Runner Friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about the brutal running conditions we've had in the Midwest the last few weeks. If you're like me, you're probably over the intense heat already, or at least over running in the heat (and let's not get started by talking about the humidity). This was something I was thinking about on Monday as I ran a solo marathon in training for an upcoming race. 

The morning temps were amazing and I was running well. But then it got steamy very quickly and I told my husband, who was my support team, that this run was going to last a lot longer than I had anticipated and it was not going to be pretty. 

And indeed it wasn't. It was so ugly, in fact, that when a coworker asked how my Labor Day marathon went the next day that I laughed and said, "Oh man. It sucked. Bad. I mean really, really bad." But then I added, "In that respect, it was a good training run because it will help me be ready to keep going if my mind and body go south on race day." 

What did I mean by that? Well... As a longtime long-distance runner and running coach, I have learned that one of the biggest mistakes runners can make is only training when the conditions are comfortable. Sure, we all love those perfect running days—when the temperature is cool, the clouds are just right, the wind is calm, and our legs seem to cooperate. Those runs are wonderful, but they aren't always the runs that prepare us best for race day… when our minds and our bodies can go south. 

In that respect, it’s easy to see that when you’re training for the Bass Pro Fitness Series, you aren't just training your legs to cover the distance. You’re training yourself to be ready for whatever race day decides to give you. The truth is, we don't get to order our race-day weather. It might be cold. It might be hot. It might be windy. It might be raining from the starting line to the finish line. I’ve seen it all throughout my years! Missouri weather certainly doesn't make any promises. That is exactly why I encourage runners to safely train in a variety of conditions. 

Think about it…If you always skip your run when it's raining, what happens when it's raining on race morning? If you avoid every windy day, what happens when you're fighting a headwind during the final miles of your half marathon? Training isn't just about building mileage. It is about building experience.

2024's Bass Pro Marathon and Half Marathon was  a perfect example of that. Many runners considered the rainy conditions "bad" race weather. But for the runners who had trained in the rain, it wasn't completely unfamiliar territory. They already knew what wet shoes felt like. They knew how their clothing performed when soaked. They knew where chafing might become a problem. They knew how to adjust their pace, watch their footing, protect their gear, and mentally settle into running mile after mile in the rain. What seemed like a "bad" race day became something they had already practiced for. Quite honestly, this will go down as my absolute favorite (out of 15 or so BP finishes) Bass Pro Marathon finish ever, as you can tell by the smiles above!

That is why I tell runners that a "bad" training run isn't always a bad training run when you consider what it produces.

Sometimes the run you wish you could forget is actually one of the most valuable runs of your training cycle. Maybe it starts raining halfway through. Maybe the wind is relentless. Maybe it’s colder than you expected. Maybe your shoes are soaked, your pace is slower than you wanted, and nothing about the run feels easy. You may get home, look at your watch, and think, "That was terrible." But was it?

What if race day looks exactly like that?

Suddenly, that miserable training run becomes experience. You can stand at the Bass Pro starting line, look at the rain coming down, and think, "I've done this before." That confidence is something you can’t get from a training plan on paper. You earn it by showing up.

Training in different conditions also gives you an opportunity to test your gear. Rainy runs teach you which socks are least likely to blister, which clothing becomes heavy when wet, and where you need anti-chafing products. Cold runs teach you how many layers you actually need instead of how many you think you need. Hot and humid runs teach you the importance of slowing down, hydration, electrolytes, and adjusting expectations. Windy days teach patience and effort-based running. Every condition has something to teach us.

There is also a tremendous mental benefit. 

Distance running is rarely about everything going perfectly. Whether you're training for the Bass Pro 5K, Cohick Half Marathon, Bass Pro Marathon, or one of the Dogwood Canyon trail events, there will eventually be a moment when things get uncomfortable. Learning during training that you can keep moving forward when conditions aren't ideal develops the mental toughness that distance running requires.

Of course, training for different conditions does not mean ignoring safety. Severe thunderstorms, lightning, dangerous heat, ice, flooding, or other hazardous conditions are not opportunities to "toughen up." Smart runners know the difference between uncomfortable and unsafe. The goal is preparation, not unnecessary risk.

As your Bass Pro Fitness Series training continues, don't automatically be disappointed when the forecast isn't perfect. That rainy Saturday long run might be exactly the training you need. That windy run may teach you patience. That humid morning may remind you to respect effort instead of obsessing over pace. That cold run may help you finally figure out what to wear on race morning.

Some of my most valuable training runs over the years have been the ones that didn't go according to plan. They taught me how to adapt, how to problem-solve, and most importantly, how to keep going.

Remember: you aren't training for perfect conditions. You are training to be prepared for every condition.

You can't control what the weather will be when you step up to the starting line. You can't control every problem that might happen over 13.1 or 26.2 miles. But you can control how well you prepare.

So the next time you’re tempted to say, "This is going to be a bad training run," consider changing the way you look at it. It might just be the run that prepares you for a "bad" race day—and helps you discover that you are much more ready than you thought.

And there you have it friends. Just because a run might seem like a "bad" one at the time, don't get discouraged. Every run is good one when you remember that every run is a gift. So, keep training and embrace all the "bad" training runs that may stand between you and the starting line. They are the very thing that will help you make it to the finish line. Happy Running!