I was supposed to release a podcast episode this week.

Every Tuesday, a new episode of Your Running Coach with GMacSpurr goes live.

Usually, I come up with the idea, write the script, record, edit, and upload it on Monday.

But this Monday, I wasn’t feeling great – physically or mentally.

I spent a surprising amount of time on Monday (#MegaEnergyLeak), arguing with myself about whether I should push through to get it done despite me not feeling great.

I could have done it.
I could have dragged myself through writing an episode.
I could have recorded it.
I could have edited it.
I could have ticked the box and told myself I’d stayed consistent.

But I kept hearing the advice I give my clients all the time: Listen to your body.

So, I decided to take my own advice.

No episode this week.
No pushing through when I didn’t feel able to.
No squeezing productivity out of an empty tank.

And do you know what happened?

Absolutely nothing – the world kept turning.

But my trickster brain wasn’t done with me yet – oh no it wasn’t. The next day it immediately started negotiating.
“Just record one on Wednesday.”
“Release it on Thursday.”
“Get back on track.”
“Consistency is important, if you miss this week, you’ll bail on the podcast again in the future!”

Thanks for that brain!!

The problem? I don’t actually have time to record a podcast on Wednesday or Thursday. So squeezing one in wouldn’t have been about serving my audience, it would have been about soothing my discomfort.

And that’s exactly what so many runners do when they’ve missed a run

They’ve missed a run because life gets in the way.
Or because they’re exhausted.
Or because they genuinely need a recovery day.
Or they are on holiday and their schedule is a bit up in the air.

And instead of accepting that they’ve missed a run, they immediately start rearranging the week.
Moving runs around.
Doubling up sessions.
Pushing harder during one run to account for the effort of 2.
Trying to force the missed run back into the plan.

Not because their training needs it, because their anxiety does.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do after you’ve missed a run is not try to make it up.
Sometimes the missed session was the thing your body needed.

The challenge is knowing the difference.

That’s one of the biggest things we work on inside the Summer Consistency Reset.

Not just creating a training plan for summer, but learning how to make decisions that support both the runner you are today and the runner you’re trying to become by race day.

Consistency isn’t about never missing a run, it’s about knowing what to do when you’ve missed a run.

I’m only taking on 4 runners for the Summer Consistency Reset.

(If you’re new around here and wondering what the Summer Consistency Reset is, it’s 3 months of 1:1 coaching designed specifically for runners navigating the chaos of summer whilst training for an autumn race. Together we’ll build a realistic plan around your actual life, work through the guilt and overthinking that often show up after you’ve missed a run and start questioning everything, and help you stay connected to your goals without feeling like running has taken over your entire summer. You’ll also get access to The Mental Runway, my private podcast support series, for those moments when you need a reminder that missing one run doesn’t mean you’ve failed. The investment is £347 for the full 3 months.)

If you’d like support staying consistent this summer without falling into the guilt → panic → overcompensate cycle that often starts when you’ve missed a run, grab some time in my calendar next week to chat about it.

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