I’m gonna be honest here: lately training has sucked. My long runs haven’t even made it to long run status and my short runs have been minutes off of my normal pace. Yet, I still manage to pull out decent races most of the time.
Know what that tells me? My problems are mental, not physical.
So, for today’s Tuesdays on the Run topic, Patty, April and I decided to talk about breaking through the mental barriers while training. Here are my tips for getting through the rough patches and keep going.
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1. Stop worrying about your pace. When I’m struggling with a run and start worrying about how slow I’m going, it starts a downward spiral. If I just accept that I’m going to be slower than normal that day and remind myself that the first goal of long runs is to just get the mileage in, I tend to be in a much better mental place. Some days that means a grandma with a walker could finish faster, but as long as I finish the mileage, it’s ok.
2. Realize it’s just a rough patch or a rough run. Sometimes a run sucks. It happens. Move on. I can be in the middle of a great training season and be super fit and able to run a half marathon with ease and still have a 3 mile run that feels like I won’t finish. {{Shrugs}} Running is fickle. Accept it now.
3. Run with friends. Need to get in a specific number of miles and not sure you can get there? Join a group to help push yourself to finish. I can’t say enough good things about MRTT. These ladies have pushed me to do things that my mind said I couldn’t.
4. Play mind games. Run to the next tree. Sing “99 Bottles of beer on the wall.” Write a blog post in your head. I once ran an entire 10 mile run by saying “run one more .1 of a mile”, “ok, run another .1”, etc. I wasn’t feeling it, but I got it done.
5. If all else fails, cut yourself some slack and try again another day. Maybe things outside the run are causing you angst: work, kids, life… Maybe your body really does need a break. Maybe you are sleep deprived. Whatever. Some days you just can’t find them mental strength to push through. That’s ok. Just remember, ALL of us started at low mileage and hit barriers on the way to higher mileage runs. You CAN do this and one day of mental weakness does not a failure make!
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Number 3 really resonates with me. During my first 3 years of running, I rarely had someone to run with. I trained by myself and during that time I even did the Goofy Challenge at WDW which meant alot of miles pounding the pavement with me, myself and I. Sure it got boring, but my eye was on the prize. Now that I have girls to run my long runs with, it has made a tremendous difference. So much fun doing long runs!
Pam recently posted…What is a squeaker?
Great tips! Running with people definitely helps me. And the mental tricks as well. Sometimes I just countdown backwards from 20 and then start again once I hit zero.
Chaitali recently posted…Weekly review
I try to always remember to cut myself some slack. This is a great tip because I think a lot of the time we are way to hard on ourselves. Just the fact that I am out there training for something should be a big deal and I need to remember that sometimes.
Samantha@foodfitfamfriends recently posted…Running Through the Negativity
This is great advice. Sometimes the mental aspects of running is more challenging than the physical! I’ve measured out tenths of a mile too, lol!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…RnR Philly Week 10 Training Recap: Taper Time
All great tips, especially the first one about accepting that it’ll be a slower than normal run. Some days aren’t meant to be fast, and that’s okay!
Kathryn @ Dancing to Running recently posted…2014 Arlington Police, Fire & Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5k Recap
Great tips! It’s not really the runs or the training that are tough on me, it the whole “thought” of the marathon that overwhelms me!
Meranda@fairytalesandfitness recently posted…Building up confidence AFTER signing up for a race challange: AKA Goofy Challenge
During long slow runs I count a lot – I will pick a number and count over and over to that number – it passes the time!!!
Kim recently posted…45…
I have been having this issue big time. And I can’t figure out how to get out of it. I’m doing everything you mentioned and still, nothing. I just don’t want to run.
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes recently posted…MCM Training: Week 11 recap
Some days just aren’t going to be fast but they are better than not running right? It’s supposed to be enjoyable-I find when I am not liking it it’s time to take a break for a few days and do something else. That or sign up for another race. :0
Deborah Brooks recently posted…Veggie Breakfast Casserole (good enough to fool a meat eater)
My running’s not been great lately because of some really heavy family issues. So I’ve cut right back and done it with no guilt whatsoever. But I’ve made sure that I keep doing a bare minimum to keep my fitness from totally disappearing and to keep contact with my running friends – because they’re who are keeping me sane at the moment.
Char recently posted…A Perfect Weekend
Number 2 is really smart! To realize if it a rough run or just a rough patch. I need to remember thag one. Too often, I’ll write off a long run because of a few bad miles when in reality the majority of the run was great, but a rough patch is all I refer too. Thanks for the post!
Melanie recently posted…Saturday Morning Motivation #8
I love those tips! I have also done at least one run that involved saying…just one more 0.1 mile, you can do it. And accepting the slow times or times that you just can’t is so important too.
Such great tips!! I love all of them! #1 is huge for me, because I’m a numbers freak, and it’s hard to stop worrying about pace but is sometimes needed…especially during the summer heat and humidity! I like the mind games, too 🙂
AMP runs recently posted…Tuesdays on the Run: Mental Toughness
Oooh! I posted about this a of couple weeks ago. Thanks for keeping mental strength a priority for all of us!
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Marathon training week 9-The beginning of the end
Stop worrying about pace <— that one is definitely me! Runs always go better when I just simply… run 🙂 Thank you for sharing these tips and hosting another great link-up.
Amy @ Life to the Full recently posted…Wild Hog Half Goals
Try out new scenery always helps me! Or trail running in general.
Christine recently posted…Thinking Out Loud
number five for sure. great tips and i know you’ll get your mental game back soon!
Courtney @ Eat Pray Run DC recently posted…Race Etiquette: Dos and Don’ts
The first tip is great, and I can really relate to it. I have recently turned voicecues off my run keeper app. I was too focused on my pace, which ruined my runs. It was a mental struggle if I had a bad day.
Drop the pace worrying and run the best you can. Some days are better than others.