Have a good run!
It’s a phrase I’ve said thousands of times to my friends and fellow runners. You’ll hear it at races and club social runs alike. It’s a short, quick phrase of encouragement that let’s others know that you care about their run. But what exactly is a “Good Run”?
What quantitative and qualitative metrics determine what is a “Good Run”?
Can you have a theoretically good run when the empirical data show’s otherwise?
How do you know you had a “Good Run”?
Having a good run requires a frame of reference and an understanding of the purpose of the run. Each and every run that I do has a purpose, either implicit or explicit, but there is purpose. Having a Good Run can be as rigid as hitting all of the performance measures in your coaches training plan or as laisse faire as hitting the pavement with no expectations of pace or distance and ending the run in a good mood.
Initially I started this publication to document and record my training leading up to my first Marathon. It then transitioned into providing insights and understanding of the physical, mental, emotional and social elements of running. Particularly in the context of living a long life. The Long Run is life itself; to be as self reliant and independent for as long as possible.
So in the bigger picture of life, a “Good Run” in my estimation is any run of any distance or pace, that when completed was free of injury and provided a boost in physical, mental, emotional or spiritual growth.
Take notice I didn’t say a “good run” was free from pain or that the run was comfortable. When does the greatest growth take place? When we are placed under stress and often times the most growth happens after failure. Increasing athletic performance consists of increasing the stress and demands on the body in a controlled and structured manner. Rather that’s lifting weights, running, swimming or pickleball, the principle remains the same. To get better you must place demands on your body that illicit growth.
So, how do I know if a run was “Good”?
Any run that ends injury free and has made a positive impact on my physical, mental or emotional condition is what I consider a “Good Run”.
Classifying a run as “Good” requires a frame of reference as well. Are you running for fitness or sport? Are you running for the social engagement or personal growth? Maybe you’re running simply because you enjoy being outdoors. Each of these are different and what is considered “good” are just as varying.
I’ve also had many “Good Runs” that have ended in me puking on the track! My body pushed to it’s limits and my mental state in confusion. I’ve had a Good Run when I’ve hit every training goal my coach programed and walked away from the trail feeling accomplished.
So many of my “Good Runs” didn’t start good. I was either unmotivated, sore, upset, tired or otherwise downright miserable, but showed up to the trail anyway. After a horrible start, eventually my body started to move more naturally and when the run was over I was thankful I did it. I’d consider each of those a “Good Run” as when it was all over, mentally and emotionally I felt so much better. Did I build any physical strengths on those runs, probably not and if so it was so miniscule it couldn’t be measured. Those runs were “good” for my mind and soul.
Don’t let the tech wreck your emotions.
I’m guilty of this myself. I’ve caught myself doing it. When asked how my run went, I’ll immediately look my watch or my COROS APP to view my splits, pace, HR, time, etc before responding. Even on my easy weekday runs. Shouldn’t I be able to answer that question without the tech and metrics? Sure I can.
You’ve probably seen the memes of the different running watches and their prompts on if you’re training is effective or not. Garmin is notorious for minimizing effort and consistently informing my friends that their effort level was “lower than usual”, even after a difficult run that taxed the body beyond expectations. On the other end of the spectrum is the Apple Watch giving kudos on effort and consistency.
Don’t let the tech wreck your emotions.
The more you run, the more you push yourself beyond expectations, the more introspection you’ll have and gain a more focused understanding of who you are and what you’re doing. You’ll know how each run impacts your life and if was indeed a “Good Run”.
Not every run is going to feel like a “Good Run”, but in the aggregate, it will contribute to becoming a better runner and thus leads to more good runs than bad. So even the bad help!
So I encourage you to get out there and get after it. If you’re new to running, don’t expect every run to be a good one. If you’re a seasoned runner, see if you can assess your run without looking to the tech or metrics before determining if it was a good run.