When I am running my milnd tells me to stop

Im starting week 3 Day 1 of the C210K app. So im not running to long. But Sometimes i wonder if I should just run as long as I can and then walk for a little time and then run as long as I can.

That's how I got restarted two years ago although I cut the workout off at 3 miles until I could run 3 miles without stopping. That took about three weeks.

I am just getting back into running and doing a program similar to C25K, but I"m only in week one so far so we'll see how this goes... 2.5 yrs ago I wanted to be a runner too and I didnt' like the structure of a program that made me walk x run y, so I just went out and told myself I'd go for 30 minutes and run as much as I could, walk a bit to recover, run more, etc. It worked for me because my mental blocks tend to come in when I "have" to run for 10 minutes, but if I tell myself I can stop and walk whenever I want to, I can easily run 15 (for example). I would also do it based on length - i.e. "I'm going 3 miles and the more I run the faster this will be over, but I can walk whenever I want to." This method worked for me and got to from basically running for 5 minutes to running a half marathon in 4 months! So in resopnse to you saying sometimes you think you should just go out and run as long as you can taking little walking breaks - you should give it a try and see how it works for you.

Oh, something else that worked for me was running where other people were (busy lake path, treadmills at the busy gym or on busy streets) because the competitive streak in me meant that I would be embarrassed to run for 3 minutes and stop with so many people "watching" so that kept me going (at least until there was a side street I could turn down It's like spin class, even if I feel exhausted and want to quit I don't want to be the only one that isn't peddaling hard, so I keep going...but if I were by myself I'd definitely stop.
Silly brains - why do they give so much resistence?

When I run, sometimes for the first mile, I suck nutcrackers. I am pathetic. Maybe around 1.5 miles in, I hit what I call the zone.

Maybe you just need to find that place where your body has adjusted and you've hit the right "happy place."

I've been running regularly since spring 2010, and this still happens to me - it's just that now it happens many miles later than it used to

Our minds like to keep us in a comfort zone. It's a matter of pushing through it. Simple to say, but difficult to do. Maybe when you feel like you're hitting a mental wall, start setting some small goals, like "I'm going to make it one more quarter mile".. then when you do that, say "Ok, I'm going to make it *another* quarter mile". Breaking up a task into smaller components makes it more manageable, both in life, work, and even running.

Good luck!

I do the checkpoint thing. tell myself - "just run to the next telephone pole" then when I get there..."just run to the next telephone pole." The first 2 miles SUCK! Once I get past that my calves relax, and as long as I'm in a good pace/rhythm, I feel like I can jog forever. I am not fast, but I am steady and I am out there doing it.

By the way, I HATE, HATE, HATE the treadmill and if I were trying to run on one, I would probably quit a LOT sooner.

Im starting week 3 Day 1 of the C210K app. So im not running to long. But Sometimes i wonder if I should just run as long as I can and then walk for a little time and then run as long as I can.

This is what I do. I started running a year and a half ago and it really helped me to just push myself at my own pace. I didn't use the app, I just did run/walk intervals. It is a very mental game .. this running stuff. I know my body is capable of much more than my mind thinks it is.

Just push yourself and say that you can do this. Your body is truly capable of accomplishing great things. The mind just needs a bit of work and eventually the mind will agree with your body.

You just gotta say no and keep going. I know that sounds pretty cut and dry, but it's pretty much all you can do. Try listening to music or running with a partner. Or set up goals that you wanna make. Like when I run outside I set up goals or "checkpoints" to get to.. like "Oh I'll sprint to that stop sign then walk to that tree, then jog this block etc etc".

This is exactly. Set small goals about distance or time

I do this when I'm flagging, and mostly I find that when I reach the 'checkpoint' I made the negative thoughts have gone and I'm happy to keep going! Good luck OP, I'm doing C25K too, and finding that mentality is half the battle.

I'm also the crazy person that runs outside singing with my music.

I do this! (And we have the same ticker thingy.)

This may be weird, but I tell my mind right back "Okay, I'll stop," but then I just keep going. And whenever I think, "I want to stop" I tell myself, "Okay, go ahead and stop" and I tell myself and I can quit, but I just keep going. And I imagine myself sitting down and not running anymore and relaxing, but I still keep on running.

It's almost like I mentally psych myself out of psyching myself out, if that makes sense.

Exactly the same thing I do !!!! Lol !!!!

Something that worked for me in high school was singing the most annoying song I could think of. Mostly children's songs. For example, "This is the song that doesn't end" or Barney's song. Not only did that make my runs feel like they were going faster but it made me run faster because I wouldn't let myself stop singing it until I was done! Anything to stop singing faster was good enough :-)

I went on the treadmill at the gym last night. There's so many stats being displayed I found it easy to keep going by telling myself - I'll just complete this lap, I'll just get to the end of this song, I'll just get the time up to a nice round number, I'll just get those calories burned up to the next 10..


Another thing I find running is good for is writing. I know, sounds daft! But if you have anything to write - a letter, a report, a blog, a thread on MFP - let the words bounce around in your head while you run. They'll settle into a nice coherent order.

You know, I tried running for the first time in a very very long time the other day. After about half way around the block, my lungs started to hurt and i had this very recognizable taste of blood in my mouth and throat.

Why does this happen?! I always got this back in high school. When it happens...I start to panic so I stop thinking something it wrong with me and Im going to die if I push myself any more.

I've never been a runner till recently, but I love long distance walking and hill walking. I started running after seeing some of my other friends here achieve amazing things and mentally still prefer the walking, which was at a good pace.

When I'm road running all I can do is focus on getting to the next lamp post, again and again and again. Eventually the run is over concentrating on these short gaps.

Every runner experiences this. I am just beginning to start running again and every time I do a 10k or 5k powerwalk/jog on the treadmill I go through this. Its just another contest you can win!