Question for runners about your mental attitude

[Gracie]

I have worked my way up to running 4 miles with just a little bit of walking. I'm very pleased with myself to be able to do this many miles (although I realize most of you run way more than that!).

When I first start out, I have this mental attitude sort of like "OMG I have so far to go!". The first 2 miles are absolute drudgery - my butt is literally dragging, my legs feel like they each weigh 100 pounds, etc.

Once I pass the 2-mile mark, I feel fine and my mood improves because, well, I'm halfway there!

How do you all combat that just-starting-out attitude? Or am I the only one who has this issue?

[1MegMeg]

Hi Loren,

I am a pretty new runner (have been running since the beginning of October) and just recently worked up to 4 miles too. You definitely aren't the only one that gets the mental attitude, I get it too sometimes. First - you should be very pleased with yourself for being able to do 4 miles! Sure there are people who will be doing more, and people who will be doing less, but 4 miles is quite an accomplishment!

Things that help me are: listening to my ipod when I run (specifically on shuffle, because then it's a big musical surprise and I don't know what's coming next), reminding myself of how good I feel after I run (no matter how much I am dragging my feet about going I always feel great afterward). But I understand that sometimes you can't just think your way out of the mental attitude.

[Kathy B]

Gracie, good for you for your 4 milers! That's great! (BTW, that's about as much as I run most days, give or take a little, and in the winter, I am almost exclusively on the TM.)

As to the mental attitude, I don't know a lot of people who DON'T have to psych themselves up a bit to get out the door. I often start out telling myself it will be a very short run, like to the library and back (scant 2 miles). But by the time I get there, I think I could probably do the Starbucks route (3 miles), and by the time I get to Starbucks, I often extend my route even further. I know quite well this will happen, but telling myself I only HAVE to go the short distance is enough to get me going. Good luck with your running!

P.S. Have you thought about trying a 5K? They are really fun, and it also helps with motivation when you are working towards a goal like an upcoming race. You don't have to be a fast runner. Lots of people in 5K's run slowly or do a combination of running and walking. You might want to consider it.

[Robyn1007]

Yep, I have to play mental games with myself as well with both running and swimming. I'm not quite up to your 4 miles (although I expect to be in the next couple of weeks) but it is a big accomplishment. While there are many people out there who can and do run more thare thousands (millions?) more who can't do a mile. You are setting yourself up for a wonderful, healthy lifestyle. And I don't know about anyone else but for some reason after running more than any other workout I do I feel skinny. :p

Now, why don't you come join us on the VRB thread? Really, it's a wonderful place for advice, support and friendship. They've gotten me through slumps and encouraged me for races and life's difficulties. Even when I wasn't actually running! And some days, the ability to come report a run to the VRBs is what gets me through that tough spot while I'm out there. Come on, you know you want to be a VRB!!!! :D

[Miss Giggles]

i struggle with it too but once you get up to where its easy to run for a half an hour or so its getter.

I am not fast though. Right now I am struggling with the weather, I am always cold. Even when I do run outside I still wear more clothes than everyone else. Im only up to 3-3.5 miles though.

[Robyn1007]

Miss Giggles, what are you wearing on your runs?

[Miss Giggles]

I do have the UnderArmour winter tights, UnderArmour type shirts and a Winter Running jacket. I am fine when I get warmed up. My problem is I just don't like to wear hats so I just don't go out less than 30 degrees. I just get passed by people wearing regular track pants and a sweatshirt. Really I just hate winter. I am better at hot weather so when you guys are all dying at 90 degrees I will be out when i probably shouldn't. I am also the one freezing inside all year long, I am always cold.

[Robyn1007]

Miss Giggles, more than your outer layers I'd look at what you are wearing inside the jacket. Is any of it cotton? If so that may be causing your downfall. Cotton absorbs and keeps moisture next to your body which will cause you to stay cold. You might look at some REI MTS Midweight layers to use. They feel soft like cotton but are not. They are my go to for upper body layering in cold weather running and skiing. As far as your head, could you at least wear a head band to help your ears stay warm?

[Gracie]

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement!

I actually don't have much issue with getting psyched to get out the door. I have been bringing my workout clothes with me to work and stop at the Y to hit the treadmill on my way home.

It's once I get on the treadmill (or when I run outside in reasonable weather) that I look at the treadmill display and it only says 0.64 miles and I feel like I have SO FAR to go to hit my 4 miles.

But as I mentioned, once I hit the halfway mark, I'm fine.

Meg - I run with my iPod on shuffle. Last night I (finally!) hit my 4 miles, shut down the treadmill, then a really great song came on while I was cleaning off my treadmill and I wanted to get back and and run more.

Kathy I can see from that experience how you can extend your route during your run.

It's just all in my head when I leave the house and start my route or hop on the treadmill and see those digital numbers are nowhere near 4 miles.

[SusanMac]

Well, now we have two good topics :-)

Cold running - I think that everyone is so different in terms of when they get cold or hot. So, it's tough to compare what other people are wearing to what you're wearing. When it's 20 here, I still see people running in shorts! No way could I do that. If you don't like hats, if you just wear earmuffs and mittens/gloves, that will help a big deal in staying warm. Your neck is important too. If you feel warm enough once you get moving, you're probably dressed just right. You're supposed to be a bit cold when you first start. If you feel just right before you start, then you'll be too sweaty after 2 miles.

Mental - You might not want to hear this, but everyone struggles with what you described, if people who've been running for years. Not every time, but it's definitely a challenge off and on. Surf around the Runners World website. They've had some great articles on this over the years!

I remember one particular article that talked about how some people do better when they dissociate (distract yourself & think about other things) while some people do better associating (focus mentally on your running, form, etc)

I will offer one idea....create a mantra for yourself. You might have several. But just repeat it in your head over & over as you run. "My legs feel light" or something like that. You're essentially convincing your body that it feels good. Sounds dorky, but it works!

Good luck! And keep us posted. 4 miles is something to definitely be proud of!

[Miss Giggles]

my shirts are underarmour and Nike. I keep Dick's Sporting Good's in business.

I guess I just struggle to actually get outdoors when I can be inside. I have used treadmills for years so they are tolerable for me.

[Robyn1007]

I will offer one idea....create a mantra for yourself. You might have several. But just repeat it in your head over & over as you run. "My legs feel light" or something like that. You're essentially convincing your body that it feels good. Sounds dorky, but it works!


Now that's an interesting thought! When I ski difficult terrain that freaks me out a bit (I've been skiing 30 years and I definitely can still find things that freak me out) I have a mantra that helps me get through it which is "Commit to the turn". It's sometimes hard on really steep stuff to convince yourself to turn those skis to a point where they are heading straight down hill. I don't know why I didn't think of doing it with running. Hmmmm, I think for me it might just be "Breathe." :p:D

[aggie94]

Aha, Loren - you're on a TREADMILL. For me, that makes all the difference in the world. I can go out and run for an hour morning or evening and the time flies. Twenty minutes on the treadmill, and I am dying. The time could not possibly go any slower.

From a mental attitude perspective, it makes a HUGE difference to me if I am outdoors or on a treadmill. Unfortunately, the only thing I can do on a treadmill is try to ignore the counters (I sometimes throw my towel over the display) and focus on my music or, even better, an interesting TV show or movie. I can easily get absorbed into a good TV show or movie on the treadmill and ignore the time, but even with music, it's harder. I notice when I'm outdoors, I just put my iPod to shuffle and let it play. Many times, I'm more than halfway through a song before I even realize what song it is. And I rarely ever skip through songs outside. On the treadmill, I know two notes into the song what it is and unless it's 100% exactly what I need to hear at that moment to keep me going, I have to skip to another song. There is just no way for me to ignore the fact that I am running inside on a treadmill, and that is sooooo hard for me to do.

So I guess for me, bottom line is that unless I have no other choice, I don't run on a treadmill. I much prefer to run outside. But then that brings me to the cold running issue that Miss Giggles raises, and I totally get that. I absolutely despise the cold, so no amount of gear or preparation is going to make it easy for me to get outside and run when it's below 40. I agree with Susan that you're supposed to be a bit cold at the start. But that's the problem for me - I don't LIKE being cold. I don't want to be cold. I guess it's a good thing, then, that I live in Arizona. :D

[Miss Giggles]

And that is my eventual goal to live in a place like Arizona. I have been there and I can tolerate the heat. It was over 115 too.

[SusanMac]

Treadmill tips - Aggie, I'm just like you on a TM. The time just crawls.

But, I have recently started doing something on the stationary bike trainer that might also work on a TM. Instead of using a clock that counts up from 0, I use my kitchen timer that counts down from my target time. So, I'll set the kitchen timer for 40 min and set it somewhere where I can't see it. I refuse the temptation to ever look at it! It beeps twice at 5 minutes before the end. I'm always soooo excited to hear that little beep! And it tells me I can start my cooldown. Works for me, FWIW. I have no idea why :-)

Robyn - we can swap mantra trips! My biggest problem skiing is committing to that mogul route and whimping out when I should be turning!

[Robyn1007]

But, I have recently started doing something on the stationary bike trainer that might also work on a TM. Instead of using a clock that counts up from 0, I use my kitchen timer that counts down from my target time. So, I'll set the kitchen timer for 40 min and set it somewhere where I can't see it. I refuse the temptation to ever look at it! It beeps twice at 5 minutes before the end. I'm always soooo excited to hear that little beep! And it tells me I can start my cooldown. Works for me, FWIW. I have no idea why :-)


When we did the LT test a week ago the first round coach told us when we'd gone 2 minutes. I told her please don't do that because it sounds so miserable that we still have 8 to go. Starting at 4 down 6 to go is my limit otherwise I think I might die. :eek: ;) I too cover my time on the treadmill.

[Natasha]

Hi Loren!

Good for you - 4 miles is nothing to sneeze at! :)

As others have said, that feeling is something that hits even experienced runners from time to time, to varying extents. I've often heard of people talking themselves through it by saying, "I just have to do 10 minutes", and by then, they feel good enough to keep going. As others have mentioned, music works extremely well for many people too. I've also done the mantra thing sometimes, but not as a planned thing - once in a while I've found myself just thinking something over and over.

Interesting (but not surprising; I know many who share this opinion) that so many hate the treadmill. As some of you know, I love mine. I love running outside, too, but genuinely enjoy my treadmill runs too. I do some of my best dreaming and thinking while treadmilling :D (says the girl who just got off the treadmill about 1/2 hour ago!). I should add that I don't like most treadmills I use in hotels and similar, but I'm very fond of the one we have. In hotels, I slug through a treadmill run and will run outside if I at all can.

Hope the suggestions on this thread help. Happy trails!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Loren, I don't have much else to add to the rest of the gang. I can confirm that we've all been in the "how do I go another step" stage in our lives. I like playing a game to get through my runs and although TM can be a drugery I also enjoy them because I can catch up on things (I used to run at the gym and watched CNN or ESPN during my runs).

I concur that 4 miles is nothing to sneeze at and I also second the call to come visit the gang on the VRB thread - we have a wild time most every week.

Grace and peace,
Les

[TKay]

Gracie - GREAT going! 4 miles is fantastic. Good for you. Please do come to the VRB thread. Everyone there is super supportive. If you're like me, you'll learn a lot from people who are more experienced over there.

As for the mental thing, a friend of mine who'd been running for years told me, the first mile is always the hardest. I sort of keep that in my mind as I'm warming up. "Just get through this and the hard part will be behind me." I like using a TM too. I cover the time with a towel, strap on the iPod and watch a TV (with, like Les, CNN or some other closed-caption show I can get into).

Good luck and keep at it. Sounds like you've been doing great.

[Gracie]

I like running outside better too, for all the reasons everyone mentioned.

But right now, it's treadmill or nothing as we have about a foot of snow in the yard and taller-than-me snowbanks on every corner from shoveling and plowing. So the sidewalks are pretty non-existent and it's hard getting out of your driveway because you have no idea if a car is coming down the street since the snowbanks are so high.

Not to mention we haven't been above 20 in weeks, although today is supposed to be near 40 which is a tropical blast for us. Then this weekend we are back into single digits. Too cold for me to run outside despite my having a wealth of UnderArmour and other proper clothing.

Our Y treadmills have a time elapsed or time remaining option. I think I will try the time remaining option to see if that helps. I wish I could set the mileage and have it count down from there but I don't think that's possible.

Throwing the towel over the display also sounds good! :)

[avariell]

I am not much of a runner, but I do it occasionally (rotated in with my other cardio), and definitely put me in the camp that must NOT be able to see anything time related. I have to cover the display on cardio equip. and there is no way in heck I will pay attention to time when I am outside/on a track. Music does nothing for me, so I can understand if it doesn't do enough to distract you. I have contemplated trying to listen to books on my ipod - just something else to help distract.

Also, seriously, way to go on 4 miles - that is awesome!

[SusanMac]

I've run to books-on-tape/CD (what's the right term these days??) before & really like it. It definitely gives your brain more to concentrate on (vs music). I also run to podcasts. This American Life is one of my favs. To the best of our knowledge is another one I like for running. For some reason, I don't like running to news program podcasts, even though I listen to them at other times.

Gracie - if you think you might be able to learn to like running in the cold, I'd definitely encourage it. I find the cold air is really envigorating. You just need the right shoe gear (like YakTrax or Stablicers) so the icy/snowy sidewalks aren't a problem. These have been lifesavers for me.

[Gracie]

I tried some suggestions this weekend (Sunday) and they really helped!

I put the timer on Time Remaining rather than Time Elapsed and I also got into a home redecorating show that was on TV while I had my iPod on in the background.

I also really paced myself and started out at a very slow jog to let myself warm up longer. I gradually increased my pace over the hour (!) it takes me to run the 4 miles so I was always increasing my speed, albeit slowly.

I think I take a really long time to warm up and that's part of the problem. My coach said that after I've been doing this on a regular basis for a longer time, my body will warm up faster.

I worked out hard on Saturday - a step aerobics class (which is a topic for another thread, I'm so uncoordinated!) followed by a cardio spin class. I had 45 minutes to kill in between so I just light-jogged on the treadmill. The spin class kicked my butt and I think that hard Saturday contributed to a good treadmill run on Sunday, if that makes any sense.