Failure is part of Progress

My target at parkrun this morning was to run my quickest 5k this year. I failed. 

It feels a bit shit to be honest as I was confident I could beat my time of 20:33 from 2 months ago. Garmin predicted 20:07. Although I now realise that is bollocks as it now thinks I can run 19:55 🤷‍♂️

My new site, Open Podium, coming soon, had a more realistic 20:20 and that was the time I had in my mind.

It didn't happen. And through 3km I realised it wasn't going to happen, and I had a few negative thoughts, but I just kept going, knowing it would be a decent workout, regardless of the time. My result? 20:38.

To be honest, in running, in life, you will fail, a lot. It's how you deal with the disappointment that matters the most. It's ok to be upset. I was this morning. But then it's how you respond, that really matters.

One of my favourite ever quotes is by Irish author Samuel Beckett, a quote I first heard about because tennis player Stan Wawrinka has a tattoo of it on his forearm, it reads "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better".

My first ever PB Runner t-shirt had that quote on the back and I ran Bournemouth Marathon wearing it.

Fail better? I love that. Who knows, next time I run parkrun, my goal might be sub 20. If I run 20:15, I've failed my goal, but beaten my time today. So I've failed better right?

Sometimes there might be reasons for our failures. Today was particularly warm with a crosswind which seemed permanently into our faces. How does that work?

So factoring that in, I might be fitter than my time suggests — conditions just slowed me down a fraction. Acceptance is the first step. Today wasn't my day. We go again.

Then reflecting on what I can do better next time. There were definitely a few things. My heart rate monitor was a constant menace, slipping way too often in the heat — I must have pulled it up a dozen times on the run. Not ideal.

My lack of speed work in training is definitely a factor. I'm running well, but the focus has been on threshold training, and whilst I will continue on that path, getting my legs turning over quicker with some 200s and 400s is very important too.

So when you have a bad run, or miss out on your target, don't beat yourself up. It happens. Accept it. Reflect on what you can do better. Come back next time and fail better.

Thanks for reading.