Cures for 'Bad' Runs: Why Some Workouts Seem Harder Than Others

by Caitlin Boyle
November 10, 2011

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Two days after a glorious, speedy run, I found myself staring down at the pavement, my hands on my knees. Panting heavily, I wondered why some runs seem so difficult when others are a piece of cake.

Too often, runners are quick to write off a terrible run as bad luck or a fluke. But a bad run is your body's way of screaming at you, "Something is off!" To run longer or faster than ever before, it's important to tune into your body and discover what it's trying to say. I've learned that the following common issues are usually the cause of sluggish runs.

Dehydration: Even minimal dehydration can impact your performance, causing your core temperature to increase, muscles to cramp, and exhaustion to set in. I never wait for the feeling of thirst to kick in—I take constant, small sips throughout my entire workout. You should drink about eight ounces of water every twenty minutes during exercise, in addition to drinking water throughout the day and several glasses of water immediately before your workout. One way to ensure you're hydrating enough is to weigh yourself without clothes on before and after your run. Your weight should be the same, or slightly higher, afterwards.

Dehydration hint: weigh yourself without clothes before and after your run. The weight should be the same, or a bit higher, afterwards. Photos uploaded to Flickr by puuikibeach, some rights reserved.

Inadequate Sodium: Drinking too much water can also cause problems during workouts. Hyponatremia occurs when the sodium levels in your body drop to dangerous levels; the usual cause is a combination of drinking too much water while sweating excessively. Be careful not to overhydrate, and if you're working out for more than an hour, chug a sports drink or consider another electrolyte replacement. During long runs, I tuck a few bucks in my shoe, stop at a gas station at the halfway point, and purchase a Gatorade.

Account for one to three rest days a week. Photos uploaded to Flickr by SashaW, some rights reserved.

Too Much, Too Soon: Your body may yelp, "This is too hard!" if you're racking up too much, too soon. A general rule of thumb is to increase weekly mileage by no more than 10%. Also, avoid tackling more than one goal at once. A few years ago, I had the not-so-bright idea to attempt to blast my 15K personal record while training for my first marathon. I figured, "If I can run 20 moderate miles, I can definitely run 9.3 miles at warp speed, right?" Wrong. It's inevitable that your body will cry uncle if you're working on distance and speed at the same time. Focus on distance or speed. And remember, it's very important to take regular rest days, at least one to three a week.

Inadequate Fueling: The more you run, the more fuel you need to consume. Online calculators can give you an idea of how many calories you're burning during workouts, and it's important to replace all (or nearly most, if you're trying to lose weight) of your burned calories with whole, natural foods. A mix of protein and carbohydrates is especially important immediately following a workout. If you're running more than an hour at a time and notice yourself fatiguing towards the end of your run, take in calories (options include gels, sports beans, or even all-natural dates) during your workouts. During a half marathon in Central Park, I spotted a street vendor and bought a salty pretzel—the best mid-run fuel I've ever eaten!

Life Stresses: When there's a lot going on at work or in your personal life, your workouts may inevitably suffer. If stress is interrupting your sleep patterns, a frequent cause of sluggish runs, dial back workouts or take an extra rest day. Your body is already working overtime to keep up with all that's going on and there's no shame in dropping down to a shorter distance on race day. Many of my intended half marathons have become 5Ks because I was simply too overwhelmed with work to keep up with training.

Weather: Some elements of a sluggish run are out of our control, like weather. Hotter temperatures increase your core temperature and trigger dehydration. If weather is a factor, begin your workouts earlier in the morning, later in the evening, or take it inside to the treadmill.

Consider the weather when planning outdoor workouts, as they can greatly impact your results. Photos uploaded to Flickr by Ed Yourdon, some rights reserved.

To recover from your workouts as efficiently as possible, be sure to take regular rest days. Many new runners (and even some experienced ones) believe rest days are a waste, but they're absolutely necessary. In fact, your body repairs and strengthens in the rest period, and training too hard, too often will only lead to injuries. In addition to resting, stretch before and after your workouts, rehydrate, and go on a short walk to loosen up your legs.

Lastly, consider pulling on compression socks or jumping in an ice bath. Both methods reduce inflammation and speed along recovery. While I was training for my first marathon, I occasionally wrapped up long runs by grabbing two bags of ice. After filling my bathtub with cool water and ice cubes, I'd hunker down (with a hot tea in my hand) for ten to fifteen minutes. By stretching and icing, I recovered from my long runs with lightning speed, and went on to run a successful race.