Running Question

Schula03

Hello - I have been running/jogging now for a little over a year. I started out walking and gradually got up to being able to run. I have ran in a few 5K's my first one being last April of 2010, May 2010, June 2010 and one in October. I would like to increase my distance to at least run a 10K but I just can't seem to get my head around running for 6 miles. It seems like after 3 miles, my mind just shuts down. I know that it is mostly metally as I am fit, but I just can't seem to do it.

What do you do to keep yourself running or keep your mind from shutting down on you or how do you get in a zone to keep going?
(IE: I do lots of counting in my head etc.....) Any ideas would be useful!

Thanks

vri16

Hi
I've been running for a few years now, just like you at first I only ran for 5km, but last year i upped my distance and entered a 10km race every month starting in April and ending in October. having entered the races gave me motivation to increase the distance and a good playlist on my ipod. The best way I found was to gradually increase the distance each week. I'm now looking to increase the distance again and a half marathon.
Good luck

gdunn55

Forget the distance. Do a timed run. You can easily say you can run a mile in 10 minutes. Well try to run for 60 minutes. Gradually increase your time every time you run. If you run once a week, 5 minutes, twice a week increase it by 2.5 minutes. About once a month do a timed run and keep track of how far you've gone to measure your distance.

Newfiedan

Switch it up, instead of doing long term runs do speed intervals, reasearch it they are a much more effective trainer for running and endurance. I do a playlist of songs some faster tempo/more agressive and some lower tempo/calming and I do them in this series 2 fast to 1 slow. I run on average 4 miles in 40 mins or just a lil over and now I am doing it on a 2% incline to up the heart rate a little more. I burn roughly 720ish cals for 40 mins. Now when you run on a flat surface it feels like you can just fly. Train with high intensity intevals for 3 miles and you will run 10k like nothing.

RaeannePemberton

it's a mental block! :-) i had a friend who felt the same way... but seriously, the first 2-3 miles is the HARDEST part of any distance run. so... think of it that way and you can see that you have the "hard" part done.... if you can run 30 minutes, you can run 40, 50, 60 minutes EASY. just pace yourself and don't try to do too much at once. look up a training program and DO IT. just like with all things running, the accomplishment feels great. i never thought in my wildest dreams i would RUN let alone run a half marathon and in 2:05! but i did it.... surprise yourself! dream big, and ... do it.

i find it helpful to schedule my week of running and there are no "questions" as if i will do it or not, i just know that it's written on my calendar... i used to run with music because i needed it to get me by... but now i feel so alive and the sound of my breath and the air around me are so much more worthwhile than music.... there will always be bad days and great days too...

try hal higdon, he has some great plans. :-) good luck to you!

SheehyCFC

Completely agree with Newfiedan. Intervals will certainly help increase distance. I started in 2007 never running a 5k. Last year I did 10-mile AND half-marathon races. Once you get past that "mental block" it's just a matter of slowly (but surely) increasing distance.

Don't overdo it. If you run 3 times a week, do a "normal" run once, intervals once, and then on the last one in crease a half-mile. Each week add that half-mile, and you'll be surprised what you are capable of.

rybo

Like someone said, run based on time not distance.
Also try to pick a new route or one that you can't easily get a feel for how far you've been running. A good day, no expectations and a trail network is perfect. But the trail thing might be tough in this time of year. So you may have to adapt. Right now your block is mental, not physical.

liscar

google 10k running plans. There's some great one's out there --- and they mix it up, you do short runs and then a long one once a week increasing just a little at a time. Also, don't run the same route ALL the time, I found that running a new route I don't know where exactly I'm at so I kinda trick myself. This weekend, I've signed up for a 10k - I've only done 5k's. My plan is to jog 2 miles, walk a mile, jog 2 miles, walk 1/2 mile and then jog the last 1/2 mile. I think I can actually jog the whole thing, but that's my plan so that I enjoy it and don't set myself up for a failure.

tigerblue

Maybe you just have to run through the "wall"! I too have been running for just under a year. I find that at around 20 minutes in, I feel like I just can't go on. But then if I get past 30 minutes (approximately 3 miles), I feel like I could go on forever. So now I know that if I just get past 30 minutes it gets easier, and I can help myself through it mentally, counting down to 30 minutes. Then I reasses and usually keep going (if I have time).

Another trick I use (read this on a runner's blog on "log your run" website). When I feel tired, I do a full body check: How do the legs feel (okay), how is the breathing (not too fast), how is the heart rate (in the zone), etc. When I have "okayed" all parts of my body, then I can tell myself that there is no logical reason to stop. This helps me!

ladyb312

Music helps massively and allow your mind to wander. Try and pick nice runs in the woods or something. Slowly increase your length of run eg even if 1k a week more each time. When you achieve this, reward yourself, with a candle bath or something - psychologically this makes a difference. There is also a book out there that my friend told me about 'Zen and the art of running' - I've not read it yet but she says it's amazing!

As I got fitter I found it easier to carry on, music helped and I also had a nice run. I did stop sometimes to start off with but then you want to get home quicker so you carry on running and before you know it you are increasing your length.

Good luck!

Newfiedan

trust me if you want to break up the run and get better at it the high intensity interval is the way to do it, you will be more focused on the interval than the overall time, you would be amazed how many cals you burn in a short period of time.

jdelana

I think it could be several things; your energy, mood, music, motivation and being able to push yourself.

The mind is a very powerful tool. You just have to tell yourself you can do because you really can. If you need to walk for 15 to 30 seconds and start back at it again. Don't worry about time at first just focus on distance and enjoying the run. I

That is what I am doing now with training for Ragbrai. I will be biking more than I have ever thought was possible for me, lol. I am in training and each week I am bumping it up 5 minutes and the weekends (Saturday and Sunday) I push myself as hard as I can and it's crazy how far you can really go without even thinking about it.

tabbychiro

I would try running for time. I did One Hour Runner after C25k. http://mindplunge.com/c25k/one-hour-runner.html
(although at the time it took me 45 minutes to do 5k so going to an hour wasn't that much of a stretch) Sometimes having a plan to follow helps.

Schula03

THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT ADVICE!!!! I will start increasing and doing intervals, I know its my mind right now, and I have to get past it. Thanks so much, I will let you know how I do!

melissahenshaw

To avoid injury, don't increase more than 10% per week. I agree that the first 30-40 minutes are the hardest. I'm now doing half marathons and trying to improve my time on each one. I remember when I could only run 3 miles and just couldn't believe that I could ever run four or five.

Also, I usually add goo after the first 40 minutes. This gives me something to look forward to and drives me a little further.

I ran four miles yesterday and remember thinking to myself that four miles felt as hard as ten miles...

JeanK56

Even though I am not the one that asked this question, thanks everyone for the great information. As I start training more I will use this information.