The Pre-Run conversation

"It's raining." "It's too dark". "I'm hungry".  "Maybe if I skip tonight I can make it up with a longer run tomorrow." 

"Just get out there and take the first step." 

This is the internal conversation I have every night after working a long hospital shift. The LAST thing that sounds good is to run in the dark Pacific Northwest rain and mud. I try to give myself permission to just SKIP IT. But then I know that if I don't run,  I might not get to the starting line of my next 50K, and tomorrow might not ever happen. I also know that as soon as I take those first few steps, the freezing cold will melt away and all of the internal chatter will disappear. Soon I enjoy the darkness and being by myself. The day decompresses. My mind empties. Should I run my prescribed six miles? Or should I run longer? Maybe tonight I'll run eight instead. 

Reasons to skip a training run: injury, illness, family emergency. 

Reasons NOT to skip a training run: cold, rain, mud, dark, I want to drink a glass of wine instead. 

There's nothing better than the feeling of finishing a run that I didn't want to start. 

Regardless... I'm sure I'll have the same conversation with myself tomorrow.