Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. Say you're running and you think, 'Man, this hurts, I can't take it anymore.' The 'hurt part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand anymore is up to the runner himself."

- Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

I hit a rough patch in my training last week: a combination of too little sleep, and an over abundance of chocolate on Valentine's Day means I fell short of my goal last week, running only 28 kilometers. That, couple with two tough runs on Sunday and Tuesday had me worried I was facing something more serious. I've been lucky these past few weeks: the miles have come easy and I've felt strong and powerful. Cutting my run short on Sunday was tough, it felt like admitting defeat, like all the progress I've made still wasn't enough.

When the running is hard, I find myself thinking about the above quote by Haruki Murakami from his memoir What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. Runners and writers alike should read this memoir. Written during the months leading up to the New York marathon, Murakami documents his training while reflecting on his lifelong career as a writer and a runner.

The pain Murakami is talking about is the kind of pain you can run through, like the muscles in your legs complaining after a fierce uphill, or the feeling of fire in your lungs after sprinting around the track. Experience and faith in your body teach you that if you just keep running through this pains - just push through - you'll be stronger for it. I've made my peace with this type of pain, and near the end of my run when I'm feeling it, I call this quote to mind and push through.

My run on Sunday was filled with a different type of pain: the bad kind. The ifikeeprunningimayinjuremyself pain. The kind that all runners and athletes try to avoid. But it's important we listen to our bodies and know what pain we can push through, and what pain we can't. On Sunday I stopped running 5 kilometers into what should have been a 10 kilometer run. I took Monday off. On Tuesday I still felt rough and started to worry I'd lost all progress whatsoever.

But this morning I woke up just after 5am and went for a run and I felt strong again. I took it slow, maxing out at 5:45 kilometers, but I ran 8 kilometers without any issues. Fingers crossed the rough patch is behind me. Today's run brings my weekly mileage up to a measly 16 kms with (hopefully) another 20 kms+ to be logged before week's end. So far in February I've run 86 kms bringing me 65% of the way to my monthly goal of 130 kms. Despite setbacks over the past few days, I feel on pace to reach this target.

In the meantime, I'll continue to listen to my body and remind myself over and over:
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. 

Winter Running Playlist: February 2015