Distraction techniques for the struggling runner

[Notsosensible]

I have signed up for a 10k in July and the GNR in Sept, but am still finding running 5k comfortably really difficult.
I'm not a runner, never have been, but I love a challenge and decided that getting fit and hopefully achieving massive personal satisfaction at the same time would be the perfect combination.
However, no matter what I do ( listening to music, thinking about work etc) I cannot stop the constant negative chitter chatter in my head ( " how much further?" "its too hard today" "how much futher can I go till I stop for a breather ?" "how on earth am I going to be able to run for 12 miles" etc ) which completely dominate my every run.

So my question is this : Can anyone suggest ideas/tips/techniques I can use in order to completely clear my head of all these negative thoughts so that I can get on with the job in hand ( body willing ) rather than the never ending battle I have playing out in my head which is just not helping ?

Try reading run, fat bitch, run

Notsosensible have you ever tried listening to spoken word rather than music when you run? Some people say it's much more distracting as you have to concentrate slightly more on listening to narrative of a story than just letting music play..

Another thing might be to do more walk/run intervals. This is a good way to train anyway, and means you can always focus on the next walk rather than overall time. Ie run 5 walk 1 run 5 walk 1 or whatever.

Finally when I'm really suffering on a run I just count. In fact I seem to remember Paula Radcliffe saying she does this too! If I'm just a bit knackered I count to four and contentrate on breathing (in for two, out for two etc) - or you can also try counting to a hundred...

Thanks for the suggestions - will try both as willing to try anything and everything !
I do have moments when I manage to zone out entirely and focus on the ground in front of me but they are fleeting and before I know it, I'm back to chewing over the daunting fact I have to extend my running capacity from 30 mins to 2hrs plus in a matter of a few months. Gulp and double gulp.

I think you''ll have no problems at all. If you can run half an hour that's already a substantial chunk of time. think of it as increasing minute by minute - in a few weeks you'll be up to 40, then 50.... before you know it you'll be at over an hour and over halfway

Slow down. Even if you feel like you could walk quicker, just run at a pace that feels less hard and you are able to breathe quite freely.

Most people starting out do run too quick and that makes it so much harder. Really, even if you take 12 minutes to run each mile, that's fine as long as it feels easy...ish. If you still find it hard do a run walk strategy to build your mileage. Run walk strategies are a very effective way to increase mileage. If you google jeff Galloway, he has done loads of stuff abut run walk for uo to marathon distance.

I do my long runs at slower than 11 minute miles, it's meant to feel very comfortable, a pace you are able to hold a conversation at.

I agree with the advice to slow down slightly.

When I'm really struggling I count my breathing to my strides - I try to do 3 steps whilst I breathe in and 4 whilst I breathe out. It helps to slow my pace and even out my breathing slow and steady. Then pick up the pace again when you feel able.

I also sing - One man went to mow, or The grand Old Duke of York - in my head though not out loud.

Check your music has a similar beat to your pace - you might find that helps. Sometimes if it's a bit fast you up your pace to match and don't notice til you're knackered.

Keep going.

ooh - thanks so much for the advice - just to know its ok to slow down or use the run/walk strategy without feeling a failure has made me feel so much more positive
I know I would be much happier run/walking a 10k during training and as a result feeling confident that when it comes to race day, I can get through the distance, rather than busting my gut at a quicker pace for must less distance and feeling utterly daunted.
Well thats the strategy sorted. Nows time to put into practise.

everytime I run I have to find new ways to trick myself into doing it

Notsosensible - doyouthinktheysaurus gave me very similar advice when i started running and hating every minute and she was bang on, I was just running too fast .

Definitely try and find a pace that is comfortable enough to sustain while you enjoy your music/scenery/think about work stuff without getting derailed by the pain of running! Use walk/run intervals as well if necessary - it may be worth working through the later stages of a C25K programme and then use the one for 5-10K? I haven't used them myself but perhaps someone who is familiar will advise.

Also take the pressure off yourself about the races. All you have to do is get round, at the end of the day it doesn't matter how long that takes. You have plenty of time to improve gradually, sure the 10k will end up being easy, just have that goal in your head for now, increase your distance gradually over the next month or so (5 mins/1k approx per week, even if you only get to 8k in training the adrenalin on the day will get you through the rest...and worry about the GNR after that. I very impressed at your bravery signing up for GNR before even doing a 10k by the way you nutter You sound determined enough to do it though! Good luck

LOL sleepwhenidie, I'm glad it worked for you I hope you are still enjoying your running.

If you check out any half marathon training programme Notsosensible you will see that most of the running is done at an easy pace with one, possibly 2 speed sessions a week. I only do 1 because I hate speed work I do like hills though and do most of my longer runs off road in the hills. The scenery takes my mind off the ache n my legs and I have to concentrate more on my footing so the miles just seem to pass.

You will get there, half Marathon is a great target and a great distance to run. I've always wanted to do the great north run to see the red arrows. Unfortunately it's the wrong end of the country for me!

To be honest, I don't think I'll ever really, truly enjoy it doyouthink...but I still try and go once a week when its not freezing/raining , knock out 5-8k. I train most days of the week but prefer weights and interval training at the gym, kickboxing (my recently discovered true love) and swimming. You can't beat running for the results with body shape and fitness though, or the smug feeling when you get back !

Ah, thats a shame, kickboxing sounds good but far too much like hard work

I'm not a natural runner by any means, a real plodder with a style only an elephant would be proud of but I do love it

I love the feeling of losing yourself in your stride completely and suddenly realising a couple of miles have gone by and you barely noticed. That only comes time and longer distance running I think though. The smug feeling is great, can't beat that feeling when a long run is done and dusted and you went further than you've been before or got up a hill that's beaten you before.

Unfortunately running isn't doing much for my figure at the moment. I was injured for a few weeks but I've built back up to 35 miles a week now but can't shift the extra pounds My shape is better definitely but I'm heavier than I'd like

doyouthink would some adjustments to your diet help? I find running excellent for keeping body fat low, and I do a pathetic amount compared to most, 20-25 k per week (on the treadmill-I'm not man enough for proper outdoor running :o )

Doyouthink - I hate to break it to you (as I suspect it probably isn't your thing) but weights and interval training are the way forward with fat burning, not lots of miles running...especially if you are over 35-40. Do you do any resistance training? Could you build some in with your runs and do an extra speed interval session a week? Could be an interesting experiment, but see how your measurements, rather than weight, change over a month or two?

Apologies-notsosensible-for the slight thread hijack !

Notso, I'm in the same host. I started running in December when DS was 6 weeks, completed c25k in march when I did a 5k obstacle course (i figured that I'd be distracted by obstacles so i'd not notice 5k and it worked!). I'm doing my first 10k next weekend and a half marathon at the beginning of October.

Do you have somewhere lovely to run? I'm lucky; we live on the edge of an aonb so the scenery is stunning, if hilly and quiet lanes have gorgeous houses with beautiful gardens. There's always an incentive to find my dream million pound house!

I also use endomondo on my phone and because I am really sad the pace updates every k keep me motivated as well as the way it identifies my fastest 5k distance during a run so everytime I go out, especially if its a road run, I try and get a pb.

Alternatively, do you have anyone you can run with?

Alternatively we could start a half marathon support thread on here. I know I only got to 5k with the support of other mnetters who kicked encouraged me if I slacked off!

Mind you, having got as far as you gave, I think that you're going to have to start believing you're a runner rather than someone pretending. Can you acknowledge when you start a run that it always starts hard? Do you ever congratulate yourself for what you have achieved?

The benefit of using something like endomondo is that it keeps track if all your stats so you can look back and say to yourself "it might have been hard, it might have been slow, but I've run 20k this week and that's more than most people have achieved".

Good news. I have had a breakthrough
I went away for half term hols and got some really lovely runs in along a beautiful beach and coastline. Just as you said Golemmings, the change of scenery did me the world of good and I found myself running and .... shock, horror, actually enjoying it ! I feel a million dollars and have a new found belief in myself. I do actually feel like I am not some dirty imposter and am actually now a runner ( of sorts) .
One of the big changes was not following a familiar route - big lesson learnt. By not knowing where I was / how far I had gone ( I have a Garmin, but was barely referring to it ), I was not constantly comparing the run to previous ones and therefore had nothing to judge my performanace against. Basically it freed me up to just run/plod along - smiling to myself ( or was it a grimmace ? Probably a mixture of both ! )

Thanks for all the encouraging words - now I just have to maintain this new found momentum

yes, varying your route as often as possible helps. I used to wear my Garmin for every run, but kept looking at it all the time. I now only wear my Garmin on runs over 10 miles to make sure I pace myself, at other times I am trying to listen to my body more. Wearing an ipod helped when I first started running, but became a distraction in the end, I sing along to myself in my head now ... seems to work better

running should be fun, do whatever you can to make sure it stays fun!

In answer to you original question, I do times tables in my head "one times one is one, one times two is two ,... All the way up to 12 x 12" it distracts me. I've also tried reciting kings and queens and dates of their reign, but I'm sure this can be aapted ( periodic table for scientists, etc)