How do you bounce back from a BAD run?

 I guess I have been lucky.....a marathon, a few 1/2's, and many many miles of training....and I've never had a run like this!!!!  Major muscle cramp**** "the wall" at mile 14 of 18...and bad tendonitis pain in my foot/ankle (new shoes today so I'm hoping this will help as it looks like the toe box was too big for me).  This run was so terrible that I don't ever want to go out and run again.  If you've had a terrible run....what do you do to bounce back and keep going?

Hey Kirsten

I would take note of anything you did differently the day before or the morning of your run.  Did you eat anything that could have influenced?  Did you not drink enough water the day before, etc.  Also sometimes, the body just hits a wall, but it can be a good thing.

I've found some of my best runs have come after I've had a really terrible run. 

Take a day off, rest and recover and get back out there for a short run and you should feel better

Brian
~350

I agree with Brian that some of the better runs do come after really bad ones.  I had a stretch where most of my runs were not good.  While marathon training, I would go out for 18 or 20 and stop at 10 or 12 for various reasons.  It killed the confidence and really got me down.  I still finished the marathons though.  There is always another run around the corner. 

Go out for something short and fast in the next few days and pick up the pace in the second half.  Hopefully, that will give you some confidence back.

 I struggle mightily with nutrition on my long runs so I don't know that I've had many 'good runs' over 16 miles in my marathon training.  While training for my first, sure but it was exciting to be able to run 15 miles, 17 miles, 19 miles, etc.  This year there wasn't a "i can't believe I'm doing this' so it was different for me.  
If you read my reports from this year i had some difficult races and I really need to do A LOT more training in the 16-20 mile range to solve my problems.  It still grates on me big time that I pulled out of the Disney marathon earlier this month.  With new shoes I'm enjoying being out on the road again and my knee problem is gone.  My best suggestion is there are incredible people on this board and out there but realize each of us do our own thing and we ALL have bad days.  
The key is getting back out there and pushing to keep going.  Try running a new route -- drive to a different park system.  Do something to make it more of an adventure.
Good luck, on getting the mind back in the game -- it'll happen.  
--Dan

To answer your question simply "How do you bounce back from a BAD run?".... You get up and get after it the next day or day after. When training, we have ups and downs, peaks and luls, the key is to stay positive, focused, and resolve to do better your next time out. Aside from all that, muscle cramps can be caused by electrolyte embalance and or dehydration. How was your nutrition on that day? How bout the day before? If the bottom of your foot to your ankle is hurting, it could be Plantar Fasciatis, Some stretches and good arch supprts can help. Stick with it and great job....