Running headgames
So do you have to play head games or convince yourself to complete your workouts? If so, what do you do?
I count cadence 1,2,3,4 over and over again.
I try to keep the foot falls on the same number.
I tell myself I will be mad if I quit
I say o.k. lets at least do half of what we planned. Then when I get to the 1/2 way mark I tell myself that i'm 1/2 way done, and it's all downhill from there.
It's strange the first half of the run always seems like it is uphill, and the second half downhill even if they aren't or if they are the opposite. Coming home has that home stretch feeling. I may be more tired and running slower, but the run always seems easier.
Music doesn't help, I just tune it out. Same thing with the books on tape, I'm just struggling with the run so much that I can't or don't hear the music or story.
So what do you do to keep going when everything says you want to quit?
Scott
I count cadence 1,2,3,4 over and over again.
I try to keep the foot falls on the same number.
I tell myself I will be mad if I quit
I say o.k. lets at least do half of what we planned. Then when I get to the 1/2 way mark I tell myself that i'm 1/2 way done, and it's all downhill from there.
It's strange the first half of the run always seems like it is uphill, and the second half downhill even if they aren't or if they are the opposite. Coming home has that home stretch feeling. I may be more tired and running slower, but the run always seems easier.
Music doesn't help, I just tune it out. Same thing with the books on tape, I'm just struggling with the run so much that I can't or don't hear the music or story.
So what do you do to keep going when everything says you want to quit?
Scott
The first time you do something - It's going to be a personal record!
I usually think of the huge omlet that I am going to make myself when I get home. The faster I get home, the quicker I eat. Since I never eat before I run, that makes for quite an incentive. Music does help me and I like to listen to that. Mostly, I disengage and think about life.
BTW, for me it feels like down hill on the way out and up hill on the way back.
BTW, for me it feels like down hill on the way out and up hill on the way back.
Scott
Link to my running journal
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1303681
4 full's - 14 halves - 2 goofy's and one Mt. Washington!
Link to my running journal
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1303681
4 full's - 14 halves - 2 goofy's and one Mt. Washington!
If it was easy the rewards we get from it wouldn't be nearly so sweet. I know my family just doesn't get what I'm doing and there's time when I don't know why I'm out there doing a long run in the rain or trying to push through when I'm lacking motivation that day.
There's a thread right now over on slowtwich asking how many sessions in your training plan did you skip. I think there's plenty of us that reduce/skip sessions just because we aren't feeling it that day. The worse I feel the farther I try to get away from home to prevent a shortened workout (for a lot of my runs I'm only 1 mile from my home).
Here's a great new commercial that I love www.youtube.com/watch
When I need motivation I watch the youtube videos on
John Blais: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrEUyIiApus
Or the Hoyt's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flRvsO8m_KI
Watching those right now may just get me to abandon my rest day and go do an open water swim. Good stuff there!
There's a thread right now over on slowtwich asking how many sessions in your training plan did you skip. I think there's plenty of us that reduce/skip sessions just because we aren't feeling it that day. The worse I feel the farther I try to get away from home to prevent a shortened workout (for a lot of my runs I'm only 1 mile from my home).
Here's a great new commercial that I love www.youtube.com/watch
When I need motivation I watch the youtube videos on
John Blais: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrEUyIiApus
Or the Hoyt's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flRvsO8m_KI
Watching those right now may just get me to abandon my rest day and go do an open water swim. Good stuff there!
I used to deal with that a lot. I'd say to myself, "just keep running, just keep running" on and on. I said it before, and I really think it's true. Until you are able to comfortably run 3-5 miles, it'll be rough. It just takes some persistence to make it there.
Is there anything that does hold your attention? I love music, and since I've had my ipod, I can pay a lot more attention to the music than to how my body feels and I've improved much faster.
It will help to find something that diverts your attention when it's not much fun so you can push through the less fun parts. Before the ipod, I just used to let my mind wander or people watch. It worked, but not as well.
Then again, it might just take some more time. It really does take a while for running to become pleasurable. Until then, you'll just have to punt.
Linn
Is there anything that does hold your attention? I love music, and since I've had my ipod, I can pay a lot more attention to the music than to how my body feels and I've improved much faster.
It will help to find something that diverts your attention when it's not much fun so you can push through the less fun parts. Before the ipod, I just used to let my mind wander or people watch. It worked, but not as well.
Then again, it might just take some more time. It really does take a while for running to become pleasurable. Until then, you'll just have to punt.
Linn
I would have thought that after running 5k over and over and over again, it would start to get easier. It hasn't.
I am supposed to be running two 1/2 marathons in October, and I have a plan to increase my mileage, but with all the difficulty I have with 3 mile, I just don't know about 13.
I have runs of 4 & 6 miles scheduled for this week, and I have done both of those distances before, but it has never been pleasurable.
It feels almost as bad to run 3 miles as it does to run 4 or 6. I'm just not sure why that is. I mean if I can run 6 miles and feel like crap, I should be able to run 3 miles and not feel so bad. But that isn't the case. I have that same spent feeling.
Oh well,
Scott
I am supposed to be running two 1/2 marathons in October, and I have a plan to increase my mileage, but with all the difficulty I have with 3 mile, I just don't know about 13.
I have runs of 4 & 6 miles scheduled for this week, and I have done both of those distances before, but it has never been pleasurable.
It feels almost as bad to run 3 miles as it does to run 4 or 6. I'm just not sure why that is. I mean if I can run 6 miles and feel like crap, I should be able to run 3 miles and not feel so bad. But that isn't the case. I have that same spent feeling.
Oh well,
Scott
The first time you do something - It's going to be a personal record!
Running with other people helps me with the longer mileage. We spend the first mile chatting, so we're sure to truly warm-up at a conversational pace. My coach says think about warming up the body, just like a car on a cold winter day.
Cassie
Cassie
"Hard things take time to do. Impossible things take a little longer."
Hi Scott
I guess everyone is different. Have you ever tried downloading maybe a comedian onto your iPod? I think Ray Romano is hilarious and does some great stuff. Also-maybe an audio book..
Maybe its the pace your pushing yourself at. I have a different pace everyday I run only because I run to just run. I'm not worried about time or PR's.
I also have this loop by my house where if I can turn back and get 5 miles in, I can continue and get 7 miles in, or I can continue and add this little loop off the big loop and get almost 9 miles in. I set out for one, but just listen to my body and if its just not happening that day-I take the 5 miler in.
I guess its just a matter of experimenting
The cheapest way for comedy on the iPod is to maybe buy the CD off eBay and then download it in-iTunes is expensive and really-its just stuff you can listen to a few times over and then you are bored. I've also listened to self improvement stuff while running--like an audiobook
Good luck in your search of a solution
Chris
I guess everyone is different. Have you ever tried downloading maybe a comedian onto your iPod? I think Ray Romano is hilarious and does some great stuff. Also-maybe an audio book..
Maybe its the pace your pushing yourself at. I have a different pace everyday I run only because I run to just run. I'm not worried about time or PR's.
I also have this loop by my house where if I can turn back and get 5 miles in, I can continue and get 7 miles in, or I can continue and add this little loop off the big loop and get almost 9 miles in. I set out for one, but just listen to my body and if its just not happening that day-I take the 5 miler in.
I guess its just a matter of experimenting
The cheapest way for comedy on the iPod is to maybe buy the CD off eBay and then download it in-iTunes is expensive and really-its just stuff you can listen to a few times over and then you are bored. I've also listened to self improvement stuff while running--like an audiobook
Good luck in your search of a solution
Chris
I find the first 10 min. are always rough. Once I get through that, I'm okay until about 5.5 miles. Then it's just willpower. Plus being so far from home that it's easier to run back than to walk. 
I try to people watch or look at the scenary. I've always been good about being able to go to my "happy place" and it definitely helps on the run.
I also divide it up into smaller runs. I divide everything into 5k pieces because I can now bang out a 5k pretty easily. But at one point I was dividing things up into 1 min. intervals! It was pretty funny... "only 1 minute to go until I'm at 5 min. and then I'll be 1/5 done."
I try to people watch or look at the scenary. I've always been good about being able to go to my "happy place" and it definitely helps on the run.
I also divide it up into smaller runs. I divide everything into 5k pieces because I can now bang out a 5k pretty easily. But at one point I was dividing things up into 1 min. intervals! It was pretty funny... "only 1 minute to go until I'm at 5 min. and then I'll be 1/5 done."
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