Quitters sometime win

As runners we prepare ourselves both physically and mentally for big races and workouts. The “never surrender” and “no-days-off” mentalities are very evident in the preparation periods. But what do we do when the off-day hit us or we get injured before a race? Are we then “losers”? What will others think about us? Did we give up too quickly?

The questions and self-doubt seem never ending. But there is a fine line between giving up too fast and knowing when to actually pull the plug. Read the article below about how quitters actually sometimes win. The article will guide you on how to save yourself in the bigger picture and how to get to know your body and its signals.

“Quitters never win and winners never quit”
Said the famous NFL coach, Vincent Lombardi, a decade ago! But what if this belief is not completely right? What if quitters could actually be the ones that wins in the greater perspective? Don’t get us wrong. You shouldn’t just quit, just to do it. SAYSKY is all about never giving up and that you should be brave in everything you do. Being your own best takes a lot of energy, hard work and perseverance. Success doesn’t just come to you in the middle of the night – you have to give it your all! Or at least, give it your best shot. Find more inspiration about being your best and working hard here.

So, when quitting in a race, in your workout or just before race day, doesn’t mean that you lose. It simply means that you save your energy and mental strength for another time. There will always be another race and another opportunity for you. Remember this when considering dropping out. If you have a bad day – you should sometimes just let it go.

If you continue in a race or in a workout where you are hurting, you might end up getting an injury. Don’t fear to drop out, this shouldn’t stop you. Be smart when you think of quitting. If something really hurts – this probably means you shouldn’t continue in the race or in your workout. It takes the body much more time to heal if you finish your race with a hurting food, leg or whatever. Therefore, you should make the right decisions when you feel pain or just don’t hit the day! After all, don't take it too seriously. Read the article we did with SAYSKY Athlete Tabea Themann about this subject. 

Know your body and its signals
Of course, this is easier said than done. It’s really difficult to get to know the body so well that you can tell whether you have a mental off-day or if the body is actually hurting. It could be that you are running low on energy, which will take you a long time to recover from if you continue in a race or workout. It could also be that you suddenly feel a pain, which you should decide is alarming or something you can continue with.

If you begin to feel bad during your race, one of the first things to consider is what happened leading up to your problems? Did you feel bad in the few days or weeks prior to the race? Did you eat or drink something the night before, or on race day that made you feel bad? If you experience this kind of pain in the days leading up to the race/workout then it’s probably best to end it.

A good rule of thumb is therefore when something hurts, you should consider what hurts and for how long it has been bothering you, and then make the decision to stop.

This can be tricky, because it always hurts in a tough workout or in races. There are different signs to this, and we will touch upon this subject in our next article “hurts so good”.

Quitting like a winner
Some goals are worth sticking with and some aren’t. Don’t dwell on your off-days, bad workouts or races where you don’t deliver or running a PB. Find the beauty in running and find motivation in small things. There will always be another tough workout waiting for you or a race you can do. 

Don’t be afraid to quit, when it’s not your day – you will win in the greater perspective!

Interested in reading the other inspiring SAYSKY guides, then click here.