What helps get you through the tougher runs?

[paulg]

Hi everyone,

Curious as to what mental (or physical) strategies one uses to help them get through the tougher runs. Regardless of ability, we as runners have our difficult runs (including racing) and I'm curious what people use to
help them get through. I find during training it's nice to have mantras etc..but when I'm feeling off, I focus more on my breathing and stride so that I try to create a rhythm between the two. People may think of different things as well or simply slow down for a few k's to regroup.
So what strategies do you use to pick yourself up ?

[Karin]

I wish I could help you here, I'm very anxious to see what advice you get.
For the runs where I"m just having a little trouble getting going, I find my MP3 player helps a lot, when one of those really good songs comes on I can really get into it, but on the whole, I'm still a quitter when it comes to the really tough runs. I like to tell myself that it's my body telling me to back off when I really cant get into it. I"m not sure how much of that is true and how much is just what I WANT to believe.

Karin

[TheBman]

I am a reflector...

I lokie to remember when I could not run, when I was battleing for my life...suddenly I feel better!

I also visualize one of my Triathlon heros and his running style...I try to emulate it, and suddenly, i am flyin!

Lastly, I think of how this terrible trainning run is gona help me cross the finish line of the event I am trainning for!!!!!

[Stephan]

I guess for me it would depend on whether or not a tough run is caused by pain or fatigue. I am very carefull whenever I feel some sharp pains, instead of pushing too hard and risking an injury, I listen to my body and maybe ease back and recover. As far as other ailments, fatigue, tiredness, heavy legs, nausea lol, I just push on, and tap into a resource that is available to all of us, it's called GUTS!!!! lol but I am always carefull and make sure that I use common sense in all I do. I'd rather have a few bad runs than a couple of months recovering from an injury.

Cheers,

Stephan

[jacob42.2]

If I'm having a tough run as opposed to a bad run, I have some things that help me through the grind. Racing and speed work are the tough ones for me. I've rarely had a tough long run, with exception of the last 8k of a marathon. For these tough runs, I like to just determine why I've lost focus, and why this run is getting hard. What I like to do to get away from the pain of it, is to just think of something else, like how your friends are doing in the same race, or what I'm going to do after the race. After a k or 2 of doing this, I'm normally back on track. If this happens to me in the final 1-2k, then I just remind myself that it's almost over, push hard, it's suppose to suck, and kick till I cross the line.

Now, on the other side of it, a bad run is another story. These normally happen when you've done something wrong or took on too much. ie. running a 20+ run in the heat and humidity. I like to just think of all the reasons the run is going so bad, what I did, or could have done, and remember it for next time. I file it away under Sh-- happens, and move on. Getting through a "Bad" run is a great learning experience.

[Midge]

When doing hard workouts like hills or speed work i have to mentally challenge myself, so I say this to myself in my head. This seems to get me through short periods, if however I am in a longer slump, say during a long training run or even towards the end of a marathon the only thing that gets me through are mental images of people who have had it a lot worse than me, one of the all time favourites is Terry Fox or an image of a kid in a cancer ward that will do it

[QuickChick]

It depends on the circumstances. Most of my long run routes are out and back routes, which really helps, especially since the tough parts tend to be towards the end for me.
I have bailed on a couple of long runs, but it was due to injury on one and hypothermia on the other. It takes a lot on a long run to make me bail.
I find it tougher sometimes to get through the SHORTER runs, especially if the route is all around my house. Somehow it's easier to rationalize- well, so what if I do 6K instead of 8... On those runs I like to crank up the tunes, and sometimes I'll bargain with myself and allow myself to take a walk break (or if it's 40 degrees out, a few walk breaks). Or I'll tell myself that if I can get through the run, I can go get some ice cream. That works well!

[Iron-North]

The best that works for me it to tell myself how fortunate I am to be able to run. How fortunate I am to have discovered this in my life when so many people have no idea how great can running be.

C'com Helene you can do this and remember how great you'll feel after you did it....

Helene

[dgrant]

I think this is a good topic to consider. I think it's important to go into a race with a Plan B somewhere in the back of your mind, so if something goes wrong and it's not your day you have a pre-planned coping strategy. My two marathon DNFs came in races where I had put in great training and never imagined or prepared for anything to wrong. Big mistake.

God didn't choose to make me very good at many things, but He did give me a healthy heart, lungs, and legs to enjoy my chosen hobby. For me, racing is a small way of expressing my thanks for that, like I'm saying "See Big Guy, I'm appreciating what you did for me!" The races when I've felt this way are the ones I've suffered through the least.

[RunDiva]

Some runs are tough to get through. Sometimes you know why it feels tough, other times it just doesn't make sense. We all have our good runs and bad runs.

I often like to do out and back routes, so when I get to the halfway point I just turn around. This gives me a psychological boost that "I'm on my way home".

Hard runs are mostly mind over matter for me. I take deep breaths, try to relax and tell myself that I'll feel better in a few minutes, or I think about how easy the next run will be. I remind myself of how lucky I am to physically be able to run. I try to enjoy the scenery and think positive thoughts about what I can treat myself with when I get home! Also, I just try to think of something other than running to distract myself.

Good Luck! Savour the good runs and conquer the bad ones!
Lisa

[Jwolf]

What helps me the most is mixing things up. I do my long runs usually while leading a group. I focus on my pacing and talk to the group members, and the time literally flies by. For my shorter runs I mix up the paces over the course of the week, so that I don't get bored (and so my body gets used to running different paces). I now use music when running alone, and I also mix up treadmill and outdoor running.
When it really gets hard mentally and physically is in races. It takes some practice to push out the negative "I can't do this" thoughts, but it's so worth it for me. I break the race into smaller pieces so that I can mentally reach milestones along the way. That helps a lot.

[Jo-Jo]

I do most of my training on my own...some of the things that help me out...

1. I use a mantra...the one I'm using these days..."do doubts..no fears...no limits.

2. My friend and running coach lives in Victoria so I only get to see him once a year. So about six months ago I made him into a little six inch virtual running buddy who lives above my left shoulder. On most of the runs he is just there not saying much but when things gets tough he'll say stuff like: "light feet"..."you can do it" and sometimes if I'm whining..."suck it up princess". Sometimes when a run is going well he'll say "you look great girl" When I told Mike about this he laughed and said I was very wierd but in a good way

3. For the past month I am using a visual image to help me relax if I feel I'm tensing up...again thanks to Mike. I attended a workshop while he was home that he and his coach gave. His coach Randy was talking about the need to be relaxed when running...as he said those words Mike turned looked right at me and pointed. That image of him doing that serves as a powerful reminder to me when I'm tensing up in my shoulder area.

4. Sometimes at the end of run I will picture I'm coming towards the finish line of the next race I'm planning...I see the clock with my goal time...and me crossing the line under it.

This summer has been the summer where I learning that running is as much a mental game as a physical one.

Joanne
C-Moss: only two more sleeps til my canoe trip...yippee

[lovethehills]

This is a great topic. Frankly, this is where I am lacking MAJORLY with running. I cannot seem to push through those super-tough moments. If I feel I need to take a break, I think, OK, walk for a bit, rather than muster up the will to keep going and push through. I have always blamed it on not being very competitive.

I have just bought, "Your Performing Edge. The Complete Mind -Body Guide for Excellence in Sports, Life and Health." I am hoping some of the strategies in this book will help me incorporate mental toughness into my training.

The author is a marathoner and Iron(wo)Man and is a member of the Stanford Medical Team. If she can't help me noone will!!! She's worked with many elite and Olympic athletes, so I am very hopeful.

[runlikeagirl]

I give myself "pep talks", by thinking stuff like, "you're strong", "you can do this", "don't give up now".

I also try not to focus on how much longer/farther until the end of the run. Instead, I think about my next walk break, my next drink - of water

I try not to look at my watch too often. I'll bargain with myself and think "look at your watch when you reach Pearson Ave, but not before".

[runlikeagirl]

the only thing that gets me through are mental images of people who have had it a lot worse than me, one of the all time favourites is Terry Fox or an image of a kid in a cancer ward that will do it

This is a good one. I keep a Terry Fox loonie in my pocket or water belt at every race.

[Monk]

I find during training it's nice to have mantras etc..but when I'm feeling off, I focus more on my breathing and stride so that I try to create a rhythm between the two.

I was just reading this old(er) post and thought I might contribute my 2 bits.
A large part of my running is doing this (breathing/stride rhythm), regularly rather than when I have a hard run. Whenever I find that I am at a wall where the run is difficult, I mentally unhook for a moment, then think about the space of time between my strides. It may seem strange I guess, but this timeframe is when both feet are off the ground (albeit for fractions of a second, because I shuffle) ... kinda feels like flying
I end up going faster and smoother than I did before...

oh, and the warning is that I listen pretty hard to what the body is saying too, making sure I am not running myself into an injury. been there, learned that one...

[paulg]

Hi Monk,

Yea, you can't beat that "flying" feeling, like when everything is just going right and it's like you can run forever, as if your on autopilot-just can't always predict when it happens though -these have been great posts

Paul

[Iron-North]

I had a tough run yesterday after not sleeping enough and being more hungry than most mornings..I felt like the course was way longer than usual. I started to remember some of the things we read here and it helped me finish my run.

Helene

[DougG]

If I'm feeling a pain or what feels like an injury, I stop immediately (having tried to run through it in the past...wrong move). If it's fatigue, sluggishness or laziness I take one of two approaches. There are days when I just don't have it, I try to keep going and give it my all but sometimes I have learne dthat I'll hurt myself more by continuing. However when it's laziness or mental fatigue I simply tell myself that I can do this, I have done this before and think of the feeling of accomplishment I get from running. I focus on how I will feel at the end of the run. Of course I tell myself that if I quit then I have to walk home, but if I keep running I'll get there quicker.

[Monk]

Hi Monk,

Yea, you can't beat that "flying" feeling, like when everything is just going right and it's like you can run forever, as if your on autopilot-just can't always predict when it happens though -these have been great posts

Paul

Yeah, its great when these moments of running bliss happen out of the blue. I think that part of what I was trying to say was that if I am having a hard time of it.. being hungry, out of sorts, grumpy, "ache-y", etc... I make it a point to find this running bliss where I am 'flying' along. Barring injury signals, I sort of force myself to listen, and meditate on the rhythm.
Thats what gets me through.
It is neat to hear of other people's methods because everyone is different in this regards.

[DougG]

If I'm feeling a pain or what feels like an injury, I stop immediately (having tried to run through it in the past...wrong move).

I really should practice what I preach. Yesterday I was having a good run, steady pace, beautiful weather and it was along my favourite route, by our waterfront. Around 4k I slowed to a walk to get a drink of water, when I sped up I felt a twning in my left calf. I've had problems with it before, so naturally I decided to keep going....well the pain was a bit worse and I kept going. If I stopped I had a long walk back to the car.....to make a long story short I am in quite a bit of pain and am having trouble walking...my ***** calf is soooo sore!!
You'd think I'd know better.

[eme]

If I am having a tough LSD run (no injuries, just not in to it), I think about what I will be having for brunch after the run. The group that I run with (when I am not injured) almost always go out for brunch after our run and we never decide where to go before our run. The discussion about where to go and what to have carries us along when we are getting tired out!

How can you tell that I am food motivated?

eme

[Dstew]

1) In a race - I tell myself my legs are strong, I am well prepared plus since I have told all of my family and coworkers my goal time, I think of the "shame" in not making my time because I was alittle tired and sore. Plus, I also think if there is only 20, 10, 5, 1 Ks left to go, the faster I do them to sooner the pain stops - are at least that is what the mind tells the body.

2) In training - I will use different methods - one is to call myself a wuss and push even harder. The second is to disconnect for a short period of time. Look at the surroundings and attempt to forget that I am running. The third is to engage in a logical analysis - I am very sore now, why? And then experiment - shorten or lengthen the stride, swing the arms more or less. A specific goal is also good for me. Last year it was to break the 20 minute mark in the 5K so after doing 7 hard set of stairs I would tell myself 3 more to break 20. For the marathon, I would answer myself when my mind asked the question, why are we doing this with 3:20 - the time to qualify for Boston.

[pts]

In the mississauga 1/2 marathon there was this lady who screamed out "Runners have great legs". So, as silly as it sounds, I like to chant to myself "Runners have great legs. Runners have great bums" when i am having a tough run. Silly, I know, but it works for me.

Erin

[melissa]

If I'm not suffering an injury, just the normal pains of a long run I like to count my steps. After awhile, I lose focus on counting and I'm back in the zone.

Really, anything tedious and repeatitive (like chanting a motivational slogan in your head over and over) can help me forget about the struggle...so I can get back to enjoying the run for what it is.

Pain is weakness leaving the body!
It only counts if it hurts!
Make every step strong!

That's what I do..