Here are some things I do when I've lost that "runnin'" feeling or things I've read about other people doing:

- Buy myself some new music. I tend to use music like a "treat" on runs, breaking it out when I'm starting to fade. New music can be a real pick-me up.
- Dedicate a mile to someone you're grateful for. Think about what you admire/love about them and run that mile for them.
- Take a break. Sometimes just taking a day or two off from running is enough to remind me how much I love it.
- Run somewhere new, scenic. Doesn't matter if it takes me 45 minutes to get there. Some fresh air or trail running can be really rejuvenating.
- Buy some cute new running gear. Nothing like sporting a new pair of shorts to get me going again.


Hope one or two of these helps you get back on (mental) track Leena!

Happy running,
Cathy

I feel ya..my first marthon is 4 weeks away. I have gotten my long runs in.I have run two 20 milers and this weekend I'm set for a 22 miler. But my legs are so tired....running has become a chore! But I believe that is what we are suppose to feel like..well at least the tired part I have felt very defeated on a lot of my runs these last two weeks...but I just keep pushing on, not because I have a real strong time goal for my marathon (I started with hoping to finish in 4 hours, now I'm hoping to finish in 4:10, but really I'll be happy if I roll in under 4:30) but because it is on my schedule (I'm kind of anal like that ) hang in there, you are almost there!

Wow

" But my legs are so tired....running has become a chore!"
+
" have felt very defeated on a lot of my runs these last two weeks"
+
"because it is on my schedule (I'm kind of anal like that "

Those statements make me wonder if you're overtraining.

I went through something similar a few weeks back where I fell behind on my training plan by about a week, and tried catching up over the course of a couple days. Each run felt like I was punching a time card. I finally realized playing catch up was wreaking havoc on my passion for it, so I decided to write off a couple of runs and start fresh the next week. Best move I could've made, I've stuck with the plan since, and even added in a few extra days/miles because I felt good and could handle it.

I hope you're able to get your mojo back and kick Hartfords *kitten*

Pete

I know that a marathon is exponentially harder, but I'm four weeks out from my first half. I'm enjoying some of my runs some of the time, but mostly I'm just getting them done and praying to not embarrass myself during the run.

As others have said, it may be overtraining. I felt the same way before my marathon in June. I was tired all the time, my muscles were always sore, I had insomnia, my pace was getting worse, and the thought of running was too much to think about sometimes. I didn't rest like my body was telling me and forced myself to "suck it up" thinking that the awful feeling was just part of training.

On marathon day, I was tired before the race even started. By mile 20, all I could do was check to make sure my feet were still moving for the last 10K. It took 40 minutes longer to run my marathon than I'd planned and when I finished, I felt terrible. I felt awful for nearly a month after the marathon as well.

The best thing you can do is rest. Maybe take a few extra days off if you can. I know this is tough given where you are in your training program. Even a couple days off can help. If you are still going to power through the runs, hydrating really well the day before, the day of, and the day after can help. Also, carb loading the right way can help.

After the marathon, it took two months for me to even want to run again. I think that, once my foot injury heals, I'm going back to halfs.

Running is deeply psychological. The gargantuan distances we run as 'long runs' require even more effort mentally than they do physically.

Just think about how far you have progressed, and try visualise the finish of your marathon, the euphoria that goes with it and avoid counting miles...thats akin to watching the clock on a long drawn out day at work.

Listen to music if you enjoy running to music, and perhaps vary where you run? Also, you could run with other people in a club who do weekend ' long runs' for added motivation.

Breaking the ' mental ' barrier is every bit as important as developing the physical endurance required to run a marathon, and I speak from experience, I finished my first marathon recently and I think all of us who have will have experienced what you are feeling right now to some degree.

Just think of how hard you have worked, how badly you want it, and how amazing you will feel to be in that exclusive 1% club of people on the PLANET who have ran 26.2 miles.


Just don't give up, and the very very best of luck!

your post is ME EXACTLY. I am so over running. I missed a HUGE chunk of training last month because of my wedding/honeymoon and i'm SUPER nervous about my Marathon coming up on Saturday. I don't want to run at all. I didn't even "taper" I've run once in the past week. it's terrible. Just want my marathon to be here so I can stop obsessing about how bad i'm going to do.

oh no you haven't gone over 17 miles?

You're going to really hate running during your marathon

re " Both times the top of my left foot started to hurt and I had to stop"... I've had this happen to me and it was my sneakers being tied either too tight or the sneakers were too old. Can you go to a running store in the next week and have them double check how you tie your shoelaces and/or whether your sneakers have too much wear on them? Just a thought.

Good luck on your marathon!! Think positive!! You can do it!!