21/10/2025
Every runner knows the feeling: some days everything clicks, and other days it feels like your legs are made of lead. Good days and bad race days are part of the sport, and understanding them is key to growing as a runner.
On a good day, your legs feel light, your breathing matches your pace, and your mental focus is sharp. You hit splits effortlessly, your stride feels natural, and even the last kilometer feels strong. It’s a day when training pays off, when months of work culminate in flow. You leave the race feeling exhilarated, energized, and ready for the next challenge.
Then there are the bad days where nothing seems to go right. You’re sluggish from the start, your muscles fatigue early, and even small hills feel like mountains. Mental focus wavers, motivation dips mid-race, and every step feels like a struggle. Sometimes external factors heat, wind, sleep, nutrition play a role, but other times it’s just your body having an off day. It’s frustrating, but it’s also part of the process.
The truth is, both good and bad days teach valuable lessons. Good days reinforce what works: pacing, fueling, mental strategies. Bad days highlight weaknesses, show the limits of preparation, and force you to develop resilience. Every runner experiences both, and learning to accept the bad days without losing confidence is what separates consistent athletes from those who quit at the first hurdle.
Remember, one difficult race doesn’t define your progress, just as one perfect day doesn’t define your potential. Running is about persistence, adaptation, and the long game. So embrace the highs, learn from the lows, and keep showing up because the next race could be your best yet.
