What do you think about when you run?

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cmurphy04722
cmurphy04722 Posts: 254
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm not a runner. I never have been, even when I was a year-round softball player and in amazing shape. I found out that not only do I have neck scoliosis, but I have totally flat feet as well, which explains why it doesn't feel very natural for me. I've tried running/working out with the special insoles that were made for me, but I feel no real change. My boyfriend has "toe shoes", the Vibram Five-Finger shoes that are minimalist and are sort of like going barefoot but with rubber underneath you feet. I am in love with the toe shoes and feel like I can fly when I run in them. I'm going to try the treadmill this week, rather than just the elliptical.

But something that always bothered me while I tried to run/use the elliptical--what do you think about? I listen to music, read, plan my day, think about work, etc. but I get so incredibly bored after 20 minutes. Going for more than half an hour is a total drain mentally, even though my body is up for it. I'm going to download some interesting podcasts and maybe that will help me out...reading generally gets me over the 30 minute hump but when I'm going fast, I can't read.

So yes, share your wisdom with me, runners (and non-runners too since I'm not a runner hehe)!
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Replies

  • JayAlexander
    JayAlexander Posts: 268 Member
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    I have the same problem! I am very new to working out/running on the treadmill and am stumped on ways to entertain myself. I work out in my garage and the treadmill in right up against the wall, so I just stare at a spot on the wall for as long as I can. I also want to read but can't when I'm running. My thought was so download some books on my ipod. Maybe that will help keep our minds occupied while we workout!
  • shirk13
    shirk13 Posts: 8
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    I listen to music when I use a machine. When I run outside I just think about pretty much anything I can to stop the self defeating thoughts from creeping in. I am in the military so I make up short cadences to keep me going also and just repeat them in my head. Like today it was "Don't Stop" "Keep running" I know sounds weird out loud but the other voices in my head don't mind it. I know lots of people that pray also when they run. I don't recommend closing your eyes for that prayer though!
  • Abrahams_Mom
    Abrahams_Mom Posts: 8
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    I am with you! Unfortunately I get burned out after about 12 minutes! So, I have a book or magazine (which doesn't work too well when I'm going fast), I have the tv on (sometimes turned down low) and I have my Ipod with some cranking tunes. Obviously I am running on a treadmill. It really works better if you have a great program on tv - keeps my interest and my mind off the ticking clock! Last week I was able to stay going for 60 minutes because I watched Desperate Housewives the whole time!

    Outside I find I can run further and longer - more distractions and visual things. However, my pace changes pretty frequently since I don't have the treadmill. So, my calories burned isn't always known!

    Good luck and keep at it!
  • Ashia1317
    Ashia1317 Posts: 415
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    "GET! ME! OFF! HERE!"

    "Has it been 30 minutes yet?"

    "Ok, ready for bed" (and it's only 6 pm)

    I get bored easily with the treadmill and I dread the elliptical. And running - oh! My shins! I wish I could do something about that. I try and push through the burn, but it does hurt. That's the only thing that stops me when I run - my shins. I tried different sneakers and stuff . . . . . I guess I have to keep playing with the sneaker idea.
  • jawhwilson
    jawhwilson Posts: 74
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    I've never been a runner because I have bad asthma. I am finally well enough to be able to "walk briskly" and hope to be able to start running this month. I'm very crafty so as I listen to my playlist of faster music and I think about the next project I am going to work on. (Easter dresses and then princess dresses for disney land this summer) Then I will think about the quilt I want to make. I think about all the things I want to accomplish, and what makes me walk the fastest is thinking about my husband seeing me when he gets home and being suprised. I have picked out something sexy I want to wear (and not hang out of) when he gets home and we are alone (kids in bed). With that picture in mind I can walk forever! lol think about what you really want in the end it might help.

    ( I have to have orthopedics in my shoes too, so I feel you on the legs/feet hurting. Flat feet suck.) I do find it easier to go longer to when I am outside walking, I toss the little kids in the jogging strollers with ipods and a movie and the older kids walk next to me with theirs listening to disney music and I go along with one ear plug in and one out so I can "listen" to them chat.
  • Questfor250
    Questfor250 Posts: 155
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    I have a treadmill set up in a small 10x10 room in basement. I have it right up towards the wall with about 2 feet to spare in front of it. Then I hung a 19 inch TV there and ran a cable line to it. I get 100 channels to watch while walking. I chose to start at each half hour so I am not watching part of two programs. I chose HGTV or even FoodTV if you can believe it. It works. 30 minutes of TV that I want to watch, and I am done. It helps.
  • gnme4243
    gnme4243 Posts: 120
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    We don't watch much t.v in our house at all, maybe about 2 hours a week between us all, but I did move my treadmill into the family room in front of the t.v. so I can put a dvd on, or have a show playing while I walk or jog. I have to do something to distract myself or I just watch the stupid clock and calories and mileage on the treadmill that's all lit up in green, and then the time REALLY drags, lol.
    Another option if you can't or don't want to move it into your house, just put a little shelf up in front of it and use one of those small portable dvd players and put something on there to distract you, I used to have that too when the treadmill wasn't by the t.v.

    The ipod is great if that distracts you enough, but for me personally, that only last so long before I am bored and watching the bright green screen on my treadmill again!

    I don't normally advocate t.v. but it does sometimes help in this area, especially for a dvd you really like and can get sucked into. :flowerforyou:

    Good Luck!

    PS. Looks like I pretty much did a second to what questfor250 put! Sorry for the similar posting, must have been writing about the same time!
  • jubead
    jubead Posts: 2 Member
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    I, too, wasn't a runner until about October 2009. Just finished my first 1/2 marathon a couple of weeks ago, with a respectable time and no injuries - yeah! Doing 13 miles means that my training runs are between 5 and 10 miles - quite a bit of time in which to become bored! I am very challenged with this when I run on a treadmill; even my trusty iPod playlists grow stale after a few runs with them. But I don't seem to become nearly as bored when I am running outdoors, so that's what I generally try to do.

    If you are limited to gym machines and if you like reading, you could try e-books on your iPod. I have also gone to the public library to find large print books (check the section for sight-impaired persons), and had better luck reading them while I'm walking on the treadmill. I think they'd be great on the elliptical too.

    One more thing - consider signing up (and paying for, if that's what it takes!) a 5K, 10 K or other reasonable goal competitive run , and SOON! That really got me motivated to keep running. I signed up for a second one, just to motivate me to keep it up.

    Good luck - the pounds are coming off much more quickly with the running, and I don't have to concentrate NEARLY as much on what food I'm eating! I've even lost my Christmas weight and more!
  • Questfor250
    Questfor250 Posts: 155
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    "GET! ME! OFF! HERE!"

    "Has it been 30 minutes yet?"

    "Ok, ready for bed" (and it's only 6 pm)

    I get bored easily with the treadmill and I dread the elliptical. And running - oh! My shins! I wish I could do something about that. I try and push through the burn, but it does hurt. That's the only thing that stops me when I run - my shins. I tried different sneakers and stuff . . . . . I guess I have to keep playing with the sneaker idea.

    Ashla1317,

    One thing to to think about. Go to a podiatrist and get his/her recommendation for orthotics. When I used to get shin splints in sports, primarily basketball, once I started using orthotics the pain stopped. These are custom molded inserts for your sneakers and shoes that help change the angle the foot is falling. It typically helps with flat feet to build and arch but also is used to fix shin splints.
  • courtney_love2001
    courtney_love2001 Posts: 1,468 Member
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    I get bored too. I recently started running around the gym track, and it is awesome. You have lots of people to look at, so many things to ponder. I get really involved w/my music too. I sing in my head or sometimes mouth the words.
  • JStarnes
    JStarnes Posts: 5,576 Member
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    "GET! ME! OFF! HERE!"

    "Has it been 30 minutes yet?"

    "Ok, ready for bed" (and it's only 6 pm)

    :laugh: How did you know??
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
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    I am not an endurance runner. I do 3 minute intervals {1min walking, 2 min sprinting} on the treadmill. In my mind I picture Jillian yelling 10...9...8...7...
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Outdoors, I have never had a problem, but indoors can require some more effort to "dissociate". Sometimes I just get into the moment, esp if I am doing a "performance" run--trying to set a new record or reach a new milestone.

    Otherwise, I have tried several strategies. When doing new "long" runs, I would cover the display panel of the treadmill with a towel. Instead of keeping time by the clock, I decide I am going to listen to a certain number of songs--usually 10 or 15 depending on the workout. It has been helpful to just get into the music and not see the timer creeping by.

    I also find it helpful to watch videos of other athletic competitions. I have 7 or 8 years of Tour de France DVDs (the long ones) so I can get into the long mountain climbs or time trials. I once had a great treadmill run watching a broadcast of the Ironman Triathlon.

    I also find the sometimes it is helpful to vary the workload, rather than one long run at the same speed. It doesn't have to be a full interval workout, but changing speeds every 2-3 min, or every .25 or .50 miles adds some variety. Sometimes, I'll actually do a "ladder", increasing speed every minute or two over a range of 5- 7 different speeds. So instead of looking at the time and thinking "oh, I have 20 minutes to go", I can think "I just have 2 more 'laps' to finish".
  • charny164
    charny164 Posts: 175 Member
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    When I run, I imagine myself to be the most amazing runner of all time. I let my imagination take me in the weirdest places - running in the mountains, desert, races a different city...... its the only way I can keep it interesting. I listen to my ipod and go. I mouth the words, or maybe sing. I don't worry about what people think if I'm caught singing or huffing and puffing to my imaginary finish line. I like the freedom that I get from running. I'm not a treadmill person so really it doesn't apply. But, for the elliptical, I do the Jillian thing to. "beatings, beatings, beatings" :)
  • greeneyes82
    greeneyes82 Posts: 318 Member
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    I usually think about how my day went. When I'm outside running on the trail, I'm listening to my iPod, but I can also hear the serene sound of the river. I also like to pray while I'm running & just thank God for my health & all the blessings!:flowerforyou: This is my alone time to just be with God. If I'm running with someone, we always have our iPods to listen to so there's not much talking. When my husband & I go together, we each have our own iPods plus we can start together, but he always runs faster than me so we meet back at the end. When I'm on a treadmill at the gym, I usually watch the TV or just notice other people coming in to get on machines.
  • Emilydmo
    Emilydmo Posts: 101
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    I don't run much anymore after I slipped on the ice and pulled a tendon, but I used to pick a super fast rap song and try to know all the words by the end of my run :) Keeps your mind busy!!
  • mayhem1969
    mayhem1969 Posts: 27 Member
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    The end.
  • amelia_atlantic
    amelia_atlantic Posts: 926 Member
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    I can't stress interval training enough! I usually "jog" at a comfortable pace for about 4-5 minutes and then run for 2-3 minutes. It makes the time fly! 5 minutes is nothing!

    I tried to match up my playlist to my intervals, I think that helps too.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    I run outside. I think about a lot of things. Mostly how cool it will be for it to be 6am and have burned 1000 calories already.

    But my track is packed with snow and ice, so I haven't done that in a while. Kind of chomping at the bit to get going again.
  • amelia_atlantic
    amelia_atlantic Posts: 926 Member
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    I just wanted to say that reading this during my workday got me completely pumped about running. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I haven't gone for a run in probably 3 weeks and I just ran 3.1 miles! :bigsmile:

    I love this website!

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