Do I deserve a night off ?

When I run I feel like the luckiest guy in the world.  It helps me put my problems into perspective, realize what’s important and feel good about myself.  Despite all that, there are times when I just don’t want to go.  It’s cold out.  My legs are tired. My knee hurts. I need a break.  Wah, wah, wahhhhh.  Suck it the fuck up, and get your ass out there.  You are a runner.  It’s what you do.  It keeps you sane.  Do you deserve a night off once in a while ?  Absolutely.  Should you take tonight off ?  Sometimes the answer is yes.  Most of the time, the answer is no.  There is a part of you that wants you to fail.  There is a part of you that wants you to sit on the couch, have a bowl of ice cream, and neglect all that you know is right.  DO NOT LISTEN TO THAT VOICE.   How do you know the difference between a night when you deserve a break, and when you are slacking ?  Because you know yourself.  You have been working at this running thing for a while now.  You know what’s involved.  You know you are your own worst enemy.  That voice that says to take it easy, have a snack, get some rest, is NOT YOUR FRIEND.  If you aren’t sure if you should run, RUN.  If you think it might be a good idea to rest, RUN. If you think that you have done enough for this week, RUN.  When you have to choose between running more or less, choose more, every time.  When rest is what’s best, there won’t be any question.  You will know, without hesitation, that you should rest.  When there is doubt. RUN.  It is always better, to err on the side of running more instead of less.  If you are injured, or overtraining, or genuinely fatigued, you won’t have any doubts about what to do.  You will know, without a doubt, that you need a break.  If you aren’t sure, RUN.  If you run and it hurts, walk, but do the miles.  It will keep you sane.  It will keep you healthy.  It will keep you on the path to being a better runner.  Anytime you aren’t sure what to do, the best answer is to Run more, run often or run faster. Do you want to be known as a runner or a rester ?  Do you want to achieve your goals by doing something or nothing ?  Do you want to wait for success to come to you or do you want to go after it ?  Run.  The answer is always to RUN.  If there is doubt, RUN.  When you don’t know what to do, RUN.  It doesn’t have to be far, or fast, but it is vitally important for your psyche to run when you don’t know what to do. Because if you do, the next time you aren’t sure, you will find it easier to run.  If you take the easy path, this time, you will probably take the easy path next time.  The easy path doesn’t get you a Personal Best.  The easy path doesn’t make you a better person.  The easy path doesn’t develop your character.  If you run to enhance your life, when you don’t know what to do, your only option is to run.  Run more, run faster, run longer.  You will never regret running more, but you may regret running less.