How to get out of brain funk
kristinegift
Posts: 2,406 Member
Two weeks ago, I was super excited about all my runs: 3 mile easy runs, 7 mile tempo runs, 14 mile long runs... everything sounded great! And now I'm in this total mental funk. I threw in the towel at mile 10.5 of a 16 miler last weekend (mostly due to aching knees and cold, but still), and I have an 18 mile run coming up this weekend, and I don't know how well it can possibly go when my head isn't in it. I have a 6 mile run today, and I'm feeling very "meh" about it, which is not typical!
My question to you all is: How do you get out of a funk when it comes to running? My legs are ready to go, but my brain is not in it, and I want my brain to get on board!
My question to you all is: How do you get out of a funk when it comes to running? My legs are ready to go, but my brain is not in it, and I want my brain to get on board!
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When was the last time you took it down a notch for a week?0
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FromHereOnOut wrote: »When was the last time you took it down a notch for a week?
I had a recovery week last week (long run 8 miles, then 3-5 mile long runs midweek), and I took it easier this week with an extra rest day.0 -
Sorry, that usu does the trick for me (the less I get to run, the more I want to run....but then again, as a SAHM, running is literally the only time iget to myself per day). Maybe totally different route, different tunes? I usu run to the beach, so I feel like reaching the sea is my reward, so if I want to run longer, I take a longer route to get there to my "reward". Could smthg similar help you?0
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kristinegift wrote: »Two weeks ago, I was super excited about all my runs: 3 mile easy runs, 7 mile tempo runs, 14 mile long runs... everything sounded great! And now I'm in this total mental funk. I threw in the towel at mile 10.5 of a 16 miler last weekend (mostly due to aching knees and cold, but still), and I have an 18 mile run coming up this weekend, and I don't know how well it can possibly go when my head isn't in it. I have a 6 mile run today, and I'm feeling very "meh" about it, which is not typical!
My question to you all is: How do you get out of a funk when it comes to running? My legs are ready to go, but my brain is not in it, and I want my brain to get on board!
You have symptoms of overtraining (dreading runs, DNF'ing workouts). Your brain isn't happy with what you're making your body do, so address what you're making your body do rather than pushing through it and being miserable. What does your plan look like, past few weeks and next few weeks? What's your goal?0 -
SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »kristinegift wrote: »Two weeks ago, I was super excited about all my runs: 3 mile easy runs, 7 mile tempo runs, 14 mile long runs... everything sounded great! And now I'm in this total mental funk. I threw in the towel at mile 10.5 of a 16 miler last weekend (mostly due to aching knees and cold, but still), and I have an 18 mile run coming up this weekend, and I don't know how well it can possibly go when my head isn't in it. I have a 6 mile run today, and I'm feeling very "meh" about it, which is not typical!
My question to you all is: How do you get out of a funk when it comes to running? My legs are ready to go, but my brain is not in it, and I want my brain to get on board!
You have symptoms of overtraining (dreading runs, DNF'ing workouts). Your brain isn't happy with what you're making your body do, so address what you're making your body do rather than pushing through it and being miserable. What does your plan look like, past few weeks and next few weeks? What's your goal?
+1 to this. I've been there. It's not a good place to be.
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I was right there a few weeks before my marathon. I actually cried when I needed to do a 20 mile run. Instead that day I went for a slow paced bike ride and didn't run much (I think maybe one 3 miler) that week. By the time following weekend rolled around I was in a much better place.
On a side and purely superficial note- I did get some new running gear and added some new music to my playlist and that helped me get excited again. Yes that sounds really superficial but it did seem to do the trick.
Good luck! I hated being in that place and was so happy to get out of it.
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Roxiegirl2008 wrote: »I was right there a few weeks before my marathon. I actually cried when I needed to do a 20 mile run. Instead that day I went for a slow paced bike ride and didn't run much (I think maybe one 3 miler) that week. By the time following weekend rolled around I was in a much better place.
On a side and purely superficial note- I did get some new running gear and added some new music to my playlist and that helped me get excited again. Yes that sounds really superficial but it did seem to do the trick.
Good luck! I hated being in that place and was so happy to get out of it.
I am getting some new gear tomorrow for my birthday (new shoes and hopefully a hydration waist pack!) so maybe that will help. New gear always pumps me up but I'm just too broke at the moment. New tunes though, that I can manage!
Thanks for all the tips (and keep 'em coming)! I might be overtraining a bit, but I also usually hit a slump midway through training when the novelty of the plan wears off. Hopefully I can bounce back soon!0 -
is it to the point where the thought of it just seems unbareable? Usually that's a sign of over training/mental burn out for me.
When I go through a funk:
Take a few days off of following a plan. If I feel like running 3 miles and throwing down on the last mile- I do that. If I feel like eating a ton and not running- I do that. . Take the training plan out of your mind. You don't "have to" run 18 miles this weekend. It's not your job. Yes, running is hard work- lots of days you don't feel like running what the schedule says but you just suck it up and do it for your "goals" lol... However if it starts making you miserable, lighten up the load. It's supposed to bring you joy not misery! I have skipped out on several races including marathone because I just didn't feel like doing them lol- that being said- I've also ran races when i felt like how you describe about running. Whenever I race without the passion- I usually run a much slower time!0 -
Didn't you just finish (or are finishing) up your last week of grad school before spring break? Could it be that you are just overall mentally exhausted right now?
Maybe just try to switch up your workouts if possible. Try a new route you've been wanting to do or just focus on nice, easy runs and not worry about pace/time/etc or even give yourself an extra day of rest to just re-group. You know your fitness level is there and sometimes you just need to talk a step back and let yourself mentally and physically relax before moving forward in your training.
I am in a major slump this week and I think mine is from over-training and not enough sleep. I gave myself an extra rest day this week and went for a walk with a good friend last night instead. I will run tonight but focus on taking it very easy pace-wise.0 -
Wow...it seems like a lot of people have been in funks this week. It was a struggle to get to my workouts in this week as well. I am glad to hear it is not just me.0
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+1 for overtraining. When I get to that point, I leave my Garmin at home and go out and just run. If I do 1 mile or 10 miles, I just let it be what it is. I don't monitor my pace or distance, I just try to reconnect with why I love to run in the first place. Sometimes we can get so bogged down in the "statistics" of training that we forget why we do it in the first place.0
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I am going to take a slightly different take here than everyone else. Read on only if it is not overtraining or another physical problem!!!
The body is hard wired to make the second time easier. and the third time easier than that. It's physiological fact. It's how we work. But its not just steps and neural pathways and simple tasks, choices become easier, too, acceptance. Don't let yourself follow a path that accepts a little less because it will become easier and easier. That choice becomes simple.
I DNFed a marathon at mile 23. 2-fing-3. There were a lot of factors outside my control, but some where exactly and totally my own damn fault. I chose to cut workouts short, I chose to say "hey, this is enough." I chose to "round up."
That failure was probably the best thing that ever happened to me in running...but the worst, too. I learned a lot about not cutting corners that day and the weeks after.
Don't be like me. Don't like failure be the thing that teaches you about mental toughness.0 -
Didn't you just finish (or are finishing) up your last week of grad school before spring break? Could it be that you are just overall mentally exhausted right now?
That could definitely be it. I'm also waiting to hear about summer funding, and that's been a lingering source of stress for me for the last few weeks which I know is affecting my running to some extent.0 -
Carrieendar wrote: »I am going to take a slightly different take here than everyone else. Read on only if it is not overtraining or another physical problem!!!
The body is hard wired to make the second time easier. and the third time easier than that. It's physiological fact. It's how we work. But its not just steps and neural pathways and simple tasks, choices become easier, too, acceptance. Don't let yourself follow a path that accepts a little less because it will become easier and easier. That choice becomes simple.
I DNFed a marathon at mile 23. 2-fing-3. There were a lot of factors outside my control, but some where exactly and totally my own damn fault. I chose to cut workouts short, I chose to say "hey, this is enough." I chose to "round up."
That failure was probably the best thing that ever happened to me in running...but the worst, too. I learned a lot about not cutting corners that day and the weeks after.
Don't be like me. Don't like failure be the thing that teaches you about mental toughness.
I understand what you are saying - i.e. you never want to make it a habit of taking the easy way out of your training. Your post actually reminds me a lot of an article I just read this week on Blake Russell (Ran in the Bejing Olympics Marathon)
http://www.runnersworld.com/racing/5-things-blake-russell-did-to-crush-it-at-the-la-marathon
It is certainly a balance of knowing when to just push through metal funks and when to accept that you need a down week (mentally and phsically).0 -
Maybe take a few days to really think about if it's physical or mental? Set an interesting workout and see how you feel upon completion? Something different. If you want a crazy one I just learned from mcmillan book, google "even Steven workout." You can cut the interval times by 50% on your first go according to his book
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I'm not a competitive runner, I run slow and enjoy it. If I'm not feeling it I'm not feeling it. My only goals are: if I start a race, I finish the race. When it comes to training, some days the Blerch wins. Try going for a bike ride or a hike instead. I usually go for a walk or bike ride with my wife, and she goes so slow that it gets me pumped to do something fast again.
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Took some of the great advice on here and went out and just ran where I wanted without much of a plan, I got some new songs that were GREAT running jams, and I didn't check my watch constantly. I ended up really getting into the swing of things and wound up setting a new 5k and 10k PR, according to my Garmin. Hopefully some of this energy will stick with me on my long run this weekend!0
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kristinegift wrote: »Took some of the great advice on here and went out and just ran where I wanted without much of a plan, I got some new songs that were GREAT running jams, and I didn't check my watch constantly. I ended up really getting into the swing of things and wound up setting a new 5k and 10k PR, according to my Garmin. Hopefully some of this energy will stick with me on my long run this weekend!
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Overtaining. If you are setting PRs on easy training runs then you are running your easy runs way too fast.kristinegift wrote: »Took some of the great advice on here and went out and just ran where I wanted without much of a plan, I got some new songs that were GREAT running jams, and I didn't check my watch constantly. I ended up really getting into the swing of things and wound up setting a new 5k and 10k PR, according to my Garmin. Hopefully some of this energy will stick with me on my long run this weekend!
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CarsonRuns wrote: »
Overtaining. If you are setting PRs on easy training runs then you are running your easy runs way too fast.kristinegift wrote: »Took some of the great advice on here and went out and just ran where I wanted without much of a plan, I got some new songs that were GREAT running jams, and I didn't check my watch constantly. I ended up really getting into the swing of things and wound up setting a new 5k and 10k PR, according to my Garmin. Hopefully some of this energy will stick with me on my long run this weekend!
Yes. Slow down.
If you don't, I swear that you'll find yourself in the same spot next week...
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Training2BeFast wrote: »CarsonRuns wrote: »
Overtaining. If you are setting PRs on easy training runs then you are running your easy runs way too fast.kristinegift wrote: »Took some of the great advice on here and went out and just ran where I wanted without much of a plan, I got some new songs that were GREAT running jams, and I didn't check my watch constantly. I ended up really getting into the swing of things and wound up setting a new 5k and 10k PR, according to my Garmin. Hopefully some of this energy will stick with me on my long run this weekend!
Yes. Slow down.
If you don't, I swear that you'll find yourself in the same spot next week...
I set a new 5K/10K PR last week too. It was because I did a hard reset on my Garmin
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SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »Training2BeFast wrote: »CarsonRuns wrote: »
Overtaining. If you are setting PRs on easy training runs then you are running your easy runs way too fast.kristinegift wrote: »Took some of the great advice on here and went out and just ran where I wanted without much of a plan, I got some new songs that were GREAT running jams, and I didn't check my watch constantly. I ended up really getting into the swing of things and wound up setting a new 5k and 10k PR, according to my Garmin. Hopefully some of this energy will stick with me on my long run this weekend!
Yes. Slow down.
If you don't, I swear that you'll find yourself in the same spot next week...
I set a new 5K/10K PR last week too. It was because I did a hard reset on my Garmin
You might be on to something... lol0 -
Depending on how often someone races 5k/10k/whatever distance, I don't see any issue in setting a PR on an 'easy' training run. I've never actually raced a 10k, so all my previous 10k PR's come from training runs, some easy, some not.CarsonRuns wrote: »
Overtaining. If you are setting PRs on easy training runs then you are running your easy runs way too fast.kristinegift wrote: »Took some of the great advice on here and went out and just ran where I wanted without much of a plan, I got some new songs that were GREAT running jams, and I didn't check my watch constantly. I ended up really getting into the swing of things and wound up setting a new 5k and 10k PR, according to my Garmin. Hopefully some of this energy will stick with me on my long run this weekend!
If you regularly set PR's on your training runs it's either been a damn long time since you've really tried for a PR at that distance, or as Carson says, you're running your training runs too hard.
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It didn't feel like a hard effort, and I've been getting a lot faster in the last few weeks/months, so I keep setting new PRs without going after them. That being said, I think that lately I've been a little overeager with my outdoor running because I'm just so excited to be outside again. I do need to work on consciously running more slowly.0
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kristinegift wrote: »It didn't feel like a hard effort, and I've been getting a lot faster in the last few weeks/months, so I keep setting new PRs without going after them. That being said, I think that lately I've been a little overeager with my outdoor running because I'm just so excited to be outside again. I do need to work on consciously running more slowly.
Do you wear a HRM? I trained with one for a while and it was definitely eye opening. After you use it for a while, you get used to running that pace and you don't need it anymore, but it's a good way to gauge the effort you are putting forth.
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I've PRed many times in training runs but it's been during tempo or MP runs after not racing the distance in over 9 months. If you said it was "easy" to PR in the 5k/10k you should defintatly sign up for a race! How exciting would it be to run a massive PR in a race when actually trying to when fast?? That would be a major confidence boost I would think. :-) at least that's the way I look at it. :-)0
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I've PRed many times in training runs but it's been during tempo or MP runs after not racing the distance in over 9 months. If you said it was "easy" to PR in the 5k/10k you should defintatly sign up for a race! How exciting would it be to run a massive PR in a race when actually trying to when fast?? That would be a major confidence boost I would think. :-) at least that's the way I look at it. :-)
I'd love to do that in the fall! I'm already maxed out on spring race fees. Legit PRs are always a blast!lporter229 wrote: »Do you wear a HRM? I trained with one for a while and it was definitely eye opening. After you use it for a while, you get used to running that pace and you don't need it anymore, but it's a good way to gauge the effort you are putting forth.
I don't have a HRM, and I don't have the money to invest in one unfortunately. Generally for easier runs, I try to make sure I can talk/sing along to music, and that's my test as far as pace/effort goes.0 -
I bought mine last June and it was fun for a while. Perhaps I should reset mine again to get the fresh PR feeling. Nothing like doing a long run and finding that you have a new half marathon PR.SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »Training2BeFast wrote: »CarsonRuns wrote: »
Overtaining. If you are setting PRs on easy training runs then you are running your easy runs way too fast.kristinegift wrote: »Took some of the great advice on here and went out and just ran where I wanted without much of a plan, I got some new songs that were GREAT running jams, and I didn't check my watch constantly. I ended up really getting into the swing of things and wound up setting a new 5k and 10k PR, according to my Garmin. Hopefully some of this energy will stick with me on my long run this weekend!
Yes. Slow down.
If you don't, I swear that you'll find yourself in the same spot next week...
I set a new 5K/10K PR last week too. It was because I did a hard reset on my Garmin0 -
I'm not a competitive runner, I run slow and enjoy it. If I'm not feeling it I'm not feeling it. My only goals are: if I start a race, I finish the race. When it comes to training, some days the Blerch wins. Try going for a bike ride or a hike instead. I usually go for a walk or bike ride with my wife, and she goes so slow that it gets me pumped to do something fast again.
Love The Oatmeal, have the shirt. Wore it in my Sunday half last weekend. Got several shout outs from other runners.
To the OP: Glad you had a good "easy" run and felt energized again.0 -
I definitely just get my feet out the door when this happens. Sometimes it requires a run date with a friend to make it happen. Running buddies are the best for this! I also try to remember that some of the days I feel my worst I end up have the best runs!0
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