I have run 10k every day for six days in a row. This was my goal: “10k, every day”. It intuitively feels right for cardio, and now I can layer on other stuff.
And here comes the quitting conversation in my head. You need an off day. Maybe just run a short run, because your legs are sore. All sorts of noise. What if you’re sick or there is some reason that makes it impossible to run someday (in the future)? Inference: if you have an excuse then, you can have an excuse now.
Shut up and run. I’m going out again today. 10k, every day.
I’m not doing it for exercise. I’m not doing it to lose weight. I’m not doing it for cardio health or my heart or blood pressure or anything else.
I’m doing it to shut down the quitter in my head. The guy with an angle, a reasonable point of view for why running (or any activity) is really too much and let’s ease up shall we?
That guy in my head never says “let’s go harder”. It’s always a variation of quitting.
I do need a plan for unavoidable inability to run. But that’s a simple plan. It is simply Ed’s advice from 30 years ago. “I am sick and feel awful” I told him. “Should I go to work?” His response was clear and simple: “When you’re sick, your job is to get well.”
If I get the flu and can’t run, my job is to get well and run again when I can. And in the meantime. Be truthful: I don’t have a serious problem that actually, physically prevents me from running. I just have my little whiny brain telling me to quit. STFU, brain. You’re going running with me.