No Bad Runs, Only Lessons

“The Only Bad Run Is the One That Didn’t Happen.”

Last week, I signed up for one final 10km race for the year. I was excited to experience a new location in Dubai and a fresh route. There’s always a little extra motivation running somewhere different, and I was genuinely looking forward to seeing another part of the city.

Not long after the start of the race though, it became clear to me that things weren’t quite right. I had a feeling early on that we were running too far in one direction, and by the time I reached 5km, it was obvious. Like many others, I turned around and headed back toward the finish line. I learned later on, after the race was complete, that the signs on the course had been removed, and many runners, myself included, kept going in the wrong direction.

The race was a huge mental battle. Confusion crept in early, and running while knowing the distance might not add up properly made pacing very challenging. It was disappointing crossing the finish line knowing I didn’t have a great run and especially knowing I didn’t get to see the full intended route I was so excited about initially.

Physically, it wasn’t my best day either. This run was a clear reminder that I need to prioritise stretching and mobility more, and get back to diversifying my training instead of relying on running alone.

Due to the confusion on course, there was no podium ceremony on the day and we needed to wait to get the final results. While it wasn’t a great “10km” time for me, I still managed to finish in 3rd place overall for the females.

I’m disappointed with how the run unfolded, but not every race can go to plan. I keep coming back to this mindset: the only bad run is the run that didn’t happen. I showed up. I ran. I learned. I’m closing out the year proud of my accomplishments and all the lessons learned along the way, and I am looking forward to new events, fresh goals, and an exciting new year ahead.

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