Google+ Running in Cork, Ireland: Guest Post: Plan for Fun ...by Pat Walsh

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Guest Post: Plan for Fun ...by Pat Walsh

 ** Plan for Fun **

Does a little planning add to the fun of running or not?

Do you just go where the road takes you? 

Do you not worry about fuel or hydration and wonder sometimes why your run wasn’t as much fun as you may have thought?

We are all different and have varying ways of approaching things.

I personally like to:

have my run planned, 
have my hydration and fuel in the days leading up to it,
have adequate rest before a long run,
have re-fueling stops sorted if required,
and know where the hills are so I can be mentally ready for them.

This comes to mind watching the rugby this week and the athletics a few weeks ago. I was listening to the interviews about the preparation in advance and the ability to perform. Most of the outcomes can be pre-determined by the preparation. They speak of little glitches in preparation having huge consequences on the day.

As amateurs we cannot hope to match 10-20% of their levels of readiness, but we can still help ourselves. How we can we just rock up on the day and hope it all goes well.

Running should and can be fun. But the most fun is from a well planned run where you enjoyed it all, hit no surprise dips and finished without being totally shattered or dehydrated.

Fun is looking back after the run and thinking that it was ok, I was capable, I was able to chat, I wasn’t dying for water or feeling my energy levels had bonked.

No-one reading this article is a professional but never be afraid to learn from them and adapt their best practices to suit your own needs.

Don’t be a slave to the watch or get too worried about times. If your enjoyment is a run with friends, then do a little in advance to make it as enjoyable as possible. 

Sometimes the fun is sitting having a cup of coffee afterwards and not having to lay on the ground hoping to drink it through a straw.

That is fun, that is the secret to developing a love of running rather than a chore to do.
Long-term we stay doing what we enjoy or else it becomes just a passing hobby.
'Proper preparation and planning, prevents poor performance‘


Another holiday pic to brighten your weekend. No fears, I’m at home in the rain.. 

#pwr #havefun

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