Maintaining Focus While Running

amytag

Does anyone have advice or tips on how they maintain focus during a run or race, particularly in hopes of a negative split? My mind wanders a lot, even during 3 mile runs, and I end up doing a great first mile, a crappy second mile, then a third mile that's somewhere between the two. I have a goal of doing a 30 minute 5K, and I know my potential is there, but my focus seems to be sabotaging me.

Stage14

My music keeps me motivated. It sounds cheesy, but every song on my playlist is selected to have the pace I want in the beat and keep me thinking about what I'm doing. It's largely 90s, lol. Some examples include "good vibrations" and "100 percent pure love".

andertonarms

just a thought:
don't listen to music.
listen to your breathing, it may let you get more in tune with how you are feeling and help you stay at your desired level of exertion.

or get a heart rate monitor and check that you are not taking it too easy.



here's another thought:

If you can run say 5k in say 35mins, tun at this level regularly for a few weeks - make it your norm.

Then drop back to 3k, and aim for 18mins. The reduced distance can feel very motivating. Prove to yourself that you can achieve 6.0/km. then step back up 5k and go for 30mins.

andertonarms

86lb lost. just noticed. wow.

If you are listening to music. Meet me halfway, makes me laugh: "I can't go any further."

Alehmer

Zen.

It has helped me immensely, and isn't a 'quick fix' by any means but after practicing regular Zazen (sitting mindfulness meditation) I discovered that I started performing immediately better as I could focus completely on the rep, step, etc. that I am on at that moment.

The whole idea of Zen is getting out of your head and existing wholly in this moment right now, We always have so much more in the tank than we realize, but we tend to psych ourselves out thinking about how much we want to stop, or how much we have left, or rationalizing that you're doing ok and you'll run faster next time, etc etc. Just think about it as "being in the zone", where you are absorbed in the here and now. Keep your eyes focused, listen to all the sounds around you, feel your heartbeat and your muscles, stay in your body. Much harder than it sounds, but every time you feel yourself drifting off into your head, come back to your body and devote your attention to your senses.

Good luck, and great job on 88 pounds!

mulecanter

Another idea might be to run on a treadmill occasionally to "calibrate" your pace. Set the speed to your desired pace and then relax and run. It might help teach your body what the consistent pace feels like as the miles tick by and your body warms up and then tires.

wolfgate

Music is the opposite of focus.

If you are working to run your fastest 5k, you need to teach yourself what level of effort you can maintain through the second and third mile. You also need to train yourself to run the first mile quick but easy. From your description, I think you're going out too fast the first mile. Back off just a hair until you get to where you hit the first mile point without any feeling of distress or tiredness. Then start asking yourself "am I running at a level of effort that I can do until the finish". If the answer is yes, try to hold that level of effort. (Note I am not talking about pace but effort). If you think you are too fast to run that effort to the end, slow down. If you feel you are under effort, speed up to an effort that feels like you can hold it to the finish.

Constantly monitor how you're feeling and keep asking yourself that same question about the effort. If you get gassed and have to back off, you've learned something. If you finish feeling like you should have pushed harder, you've learned something.

You'll mess up a bunch and run too fast or too slow, but in a few weeks you'll know what your 5k effort feels like.

This does two things - one it gives you something positive to focus on. Two it teaches you how to run the distance well.

sufferlandrian

I used to run a lot before injuring my back. Don't ask how, it was pretty stupid but at least it didn't involve the words, "Here, hold my beer!". When I would run, I wore a heart monitor. I used to keep tabs on how I was doing by occasionally checking my heart rate. I found a rate that worked well for me and I would watch to make sure I was pretty close to that. Slower and I was running too slow. Faster and I was running too fast. That combined with listening to my breathing helped a lot to make the miles even in length. By the way, I listened to tunes quite a bit and it helped me avoid getting hung up on paying attention to small stuff and then it was easier to use stuff like the heart monitor to focus on pace, speed and how I feel.

crackur

I disagree with alot of people in this post.......Music makes me run better....I can actually breathe on beat or stride.

To each their own but suggest, don't reply opinions as facts.

Stage14

Music is the opposite of focus.

Not necessarily. For some people, music is what allows them to tune out the random sounds of the outside and focus BETTER. There have been tons of studies that show that certain people study/work/exercise/etc more effectively with music than without.

Now if music is causing a distraction, sure by all means turn it off. But blanket opinions disguised as facts without support don't help anyone.

wolfgate

I do not disagree that music can make some runners go faster. Studies have shown up to a 15% increase, particularly for disassociators, which likely do comprise the majority of runners. Those studies showed exactly what Stage14 and crackur said, that they can use the beat of the music to stay on stride, keep pace, etc. All very true.

HOWEVER, the OP asked about how to "focus" better to reduce a 3 mile/ 5k time. That is a question where the best answer is associative running. Associative runners (which includes most elite and highly competitive runners) tend to avoid music during quality workouts and races. For them maximum benefit is gained by focusing inwardly on what their body is doing during the workout or race. (Many associatives will use music for easier/normal workouts) .

I apologize for oversimplifying in my initial comment. I do stand by the comment (with additional explanation) that music is the opposite of focus as related to the OP question. I'm not saying everyone should be associative in their running.

Stage14

I do not disagree that music can make some runners go faster. Studies have shown up to a 15% increase, particularly for disassociators, which likely do comprise the majority of runners. Those studies showed exactly what Stage14 and crackur said, that they can use the beat of the music to stay on stride, keep pace, etc. All very true.

HOWEVER, the OP asked about how to "focus" better to reduce a 3 mile/ 5k time. That is a question where the best answer is associative running. Associative runners (which includes most elite and highly competitive runners) tend to avoid music during quality workouts and races. For them maximum benefit is gained by focusing inwardly on what their body is doing during the workout or race. (Many associatives will use music for easier/normal workouts) .

I apologize for oversimplifying in my initial comment. I do stand by the comment (with additional explanation) that music is the opposite of focus as related to the OP question. I'm not saying everyone should be associative in their running.

You're still missing my point, which is that for some people music increases focus by shutting out the outside world. It isn't that the music is what they are focusing on, it's that the steady background allows them to pay attention to their body and what they are doing. Is that everyone? No. But it is true for some people.

wolfgate

I do not disagree that music can make some runners go faster. Studies have shown up to a 15% increase, particularly for disassociators, which likely do comprise the majority of runners. Those studies showed exactly what Stage14 and crackur said, that they can use the beat of the music to stay on stride, keep pace, etc. All very true.

HOWEVER, the OP asked about how to "focus" better to reduce a 3 mile/ 5k time. That is a question where the best answer is associative running. Associative runners (which includes most elite and highly competitive runners) tend to avoid music during quality workouts and races. For them maximum benefit is gained by focusing inwardly on what their body is doing during the workout or race. (Many associatives will use music for easier/normal workouts) .

I apologize for oversimplifying in my initial comment. I do stand by the comment (with additional explanation) that music is the opposite of focus as related to the OP question. I'm not saying everyone should be associative in their running.

You're still missing my point, which is that for some people music increases focus by shutting out the outside world. It isn't that the music is what they are focusing on, it's that the steady background allows them to pay attention to their body and what they are doing. Is that everyone? No. But it is true for some people.

Don't want to drift down into semantics and arguing absolutes. As everyone is different, yes, I am confident for some people you are correct. In general, for the majority of runners, my point is valid.

amytag

Thanks for the ideas! Luckily, running is so personal so I can experiment and test many hypotheses to find what works for me. Honestly, I wouldn't have even thought about running without music. I've never tried it! It was my former way to not watch my clock! I need to find my inner peace. To give you an idea, my first mile and second mile are a full 3 minutes different in time :-( Shameful.

I shouldn't complain too loudly, as I've improved 8 minutes in 5k time in the 18 months I've been running. So addictive.

wolfgate

amytag - the phrase "we're all an experiment of one" is so true in running. Your thought process is right on concerning how to approach your question. Take the varying inputs, try something out, and figure out what works for you.

And congrats on the improvement!