Overcoming thoughts when running- how??

I was thinking of this thread on my long run today

I also spent a lot of time thinking about food - I went further than planned and didn't take a drink or anything to eat/gel/jelly babies.

Jewels if you haven't already it, give the Marathon Talk podcasts a go. They really are brilliantly informative and a fun listen. They do interviews with some really interesting people too. I listen every week on my long runs.

I spend ages looking for music that I'm really going to look forward to hearing. Or audio books help. If all else fails, I set out on my run with a problem to fix, and work through it in infinite detail.

Am doing 18 miles tomorrow, these tips are really good.

Thanks Thursday and well done rainbow

Can I point you in a friendly manner towards the parkrun thread

We are very nice, I promise, and will gladly answer questions and help ease worries.

Oh I'm supposed to do my first park run next Saturday but am really really nervous as its three laps of park with a big steep hill. I've ran 5 k twice but on the flat

Wonderful Rainbow!
parkrun is fab

If I start thinking it's hard and I want to stop, I just remind myself that I actually really enjoy running ( which is true) and it instantly gets easier. It's taken me years to be able to consciously hear the negatives, work out how to counter them, and actually remember to do it, though!

God, I am always plagued by that little voice when running and I am very weak-willed which is not a good combination.

The only solution I have found is to run with others - I have completed so many runs that there is no way I would have done on my own. My furthest distance is 10 miles and there was a group of 5 of us that did it and kept each other going. Even if I am not contributing to any conversation just having the chatter around me helps.

I do like the idea of podcasts as I always thought music would work but it just didn't seem to distract me enough. I generally don't run on my own now anyway.

Now we need to know just how long your runs are theonly

Loving the sexual encounters

I did my second 5k ever today and tried and different route and treated myself to a new combination running album which def helped

I have also started randomly going over previous sexual encounters ir definitely helps pass the time!

theonlyone on hills I go "it's uphill, that means there's a downhill following!"

I spend a fair amount of time wondering if I ought to have worn something warmer or cooler, a different type of hat/gloves and generally trying to work out exactly what gear would have optimised the running experience

I'm another one who LOVES holiday running!

Also I think I felt better once I realised that unless you stagnate and just plod at the same pace for years and years - it doesn't necessarily get easier. You push yourself harder, you get better - it's still tough going. But you get lots out of it just the same.

I did a half marathon last year. Looking back I would say I loved it. When I think back properly, I loved up to about 13-14km, and the last 30 metres or so. The bit in-between was largely extremely hard-work (I had a target time in mind and was determined to keep the pace up). My head was stuck in a 'everything-hurts-what-the-hell-was-I-thinking-I-am-completely-shit-at-this' loop. But the satisfaction when I crossed the finish line was soooo worth it.

I try and do a 10-12 mile run at the weekend which is lots of time to think! Music is a must and I normally think about the week ahead and what I need to plan for, plus think a lot about holidays and places I've been to in the past. I rarely focus on the actual running unless it's up a hill when I chant to myself this is flat, this is flat which helps me run more quickly up it. I have a perverse love for running up hills!

Oh, and you may well become a long(er) distance runner - it's amazing how it creeps up on you.

Everyone else has said these really, but this is what I do;

Get changed really quickly and get out of the door without thinking too much.

Set myself a route (always circular) and distance in advance - if I say to myself that I'll just see how I go, I always tend to do shorter distances.

If a long distance, choose a new route to try - therefore not thinking 'oh no, I remember this point and I've got miles to go'.

Spend lots of time breaking the run into, say, 8 chunks - visualise each part and then calculate where I am as a percentage, then a fraction

When it gets hard, make up a mantra, I suppose - 'I can do this, I can do this' saying a word each time my foot hits the ground.

Visualise something lovely I can eat guilt-free later.

Think who I can tell how far I've run and recording my workout on mapmyrun.

Plan my shopping list/to do list/holiday plans (whilst visualising myself in a bikini!)

If all else fails, buy some fab new kit!

Sometimes I like to do the same route over and over again. It becomes second nature, you don't have to think about it, it inevitably becomes easier and easier until the 'stop' voice goes away completely.
Likewise, whether i run the same route or a new one, i sometimes like to listen to the same music - same album or playlist - over and over again. It helps me zone out quickly and then my mind wanders rather than focussing on the running. I've listened to the mika album life in cartoon motion sooo many times.
Sometimes i like to run with friends or husband, but mostly these days just with my dog.
Sometimes i like to run alone and set myself a challenge like a steep hill - and i'm realistic about my fitness. i know what type of hill is an attainable challenge for my current fitness level which fluctuates a lot, mostly because of school holidays.
Sometimes if i feel it's tough i tell myself to slow the pace until i feel better again. Other times i'll run even harder and push on through the pain!!
It's a "whatever works" approach. at the moment i don't feel that fit but i still keep plugging away as much as i am able.
Good luck & enjoy!

I generally run once or twice a week on a circular route (just over 5k). I definitely couldn't run back on myself as I'd hate it! I listen to dance music or anything generally upbeat which usually takes my mind off the task in hand. Often though I'm tired and it's not enough, I hope this doesn't sound too ridiculous (probably will !) but I then imagine myself at an upcoming event in THAT dress in my wardrobe that's slightly too tight but I know that if I carry on it wont be and I'll feel great or on a night out bumping into people who haven't seen me for ages (I've dropped about 5 stone in total) and that spurs me on. In other words I try to focus on future positive situations i.e. the results, rather than spending too much time thinking about the run itself. Hope that helps!

RJ I do that too

Also I thought I could, I thought I could....

I find runs easier when I don't know my route, just go and find new roads paths etc. Also mix it up with a bit of fartlek training, which will also help with speed.

I can't run with music, I use my run time to clear my head of everything and just focus on my breathing, I do use the Runkeeper app which gives me updates on my pace/distance so I kind of end up racing myself.

I was going to come on and say I count then I realised that I haven't been counting for a while! And I'm thrilled that I'm finally fashionable!! Although I have been running for about 15 years so was clearly ahead of the trend. . DH and I will run together as a treat if we have visitors (normally one of us on child duty) and although it used to wind me up to run with him as our paces were so different now I enjoy it. I find running really useful for sorting things out in my head and problem solving.

This might make me sound mad...

You know the book "the little engine who could"?

He gets up the hill by chanting "I THINK I can"

It's just the right tempo and positive idea to keep you running. So me plodding along with my head going "I THINK I can I THINK I can" and then as it gets harder "I KNOW I can"

It's a mixture of the rhythms and the positivity that keep me going. However I am a shit runner, I really don't enjoy it, but as Suzanne says way up there I enjoy being done and I enjoy the feeling afterwardsonce I can breath again