How to get over fear of jogging in front of people?

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  • cdcooper321
    cdcooper321 Posts: 157 Member
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    You just go. No one is looking at you.

    ^^^^^^^^ THIS!! I had the same fear and it's so true..no one is looking at you.
  • zanne54
    zanne54 Posts: 336 Member
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    If it's any consolation, I was like this too when I first started running. Bits jiggling everywhere and trying to escape my workout gear. I'd try to run where there weren't any spectators. Once I progressed further into the C25K program, I discovered that jogging speeds up my digestion. Great, so now I'm jiggling AND farting as I (slowly) jog along. Sorry, that's probably not much help to you...but it really put it into perspective for me: I didn't think my fear of public humiliation could get worse, and then it did, and it's gone from being scary to being so ridiculous it's now comedy. Good luck and keep running!
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
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    What everyone else here has said... just do it. Put your headphones in and tune out the world. Focus on your breathing, your stride, your thoughts, anything but the people around you because I promise they aren't judging you the way you think.

    I used to be scared, especially when I passed a "real runner" while I was barely getting through my 1 minute running interval at the beginning of C25K, but then I realized that they don't care. Most people won't even remember having seen you, and if they do think anything about you, it's usually "good for her!" or "I wish I had the energy/motivation/desire/whatever to run like her!" Your imagination of what people are thinking is way worse than what they're really thinking. If you think of yourself as fat or embarrassing when you run, just think to yourself, "Hey, at least I'm out here doing something about it and making myself healthier."
  • NatFromMars
    NatFromMars Posts: 7
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    Ahahaha
    You all were much help! Ive taken your words into consideration.
    Thanks so much
    Im gonna do it!
    Best of luck on your journey! :happy:
  • Soapstone
    Soapstone Posts: 134 Member
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    Seeing overweight people running is what inspired me to get off my *kitten*. Just do it; pretty soon you won't care what anyone thinks, and you will inspire people you didn't even know you were in contact with.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,266 Member
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    Hi! I kind of have the fear of jogging in front of people in public. I walk all the way to the woods to do my running LOL
    Id rather just do it locally instead of going ALLL the way to the woods(its time consuming)
    Im chubby (obviously) so I fear being mocked or laughed at by passer-byers
    I also live in an area where a majority of my old classmates live (Im kind of already over this though)
    And my mother is rather... rude? She mocks me from time to time (which im also over this)
    Im just overall shy and somewhat insecure
    Id join a gym but im poor (wahhhh)
    Im thinking of just jogging before the sun comes up, so no one can see me, ahaha.
    Anyone have any wise words?
    Or tell me if you've gotten over this fear or how you do it?
    Thanks!

    yep, I just don't care. I either get people waving at me or just plain staring (mostly guys, uck) but I figure I am doing this for myself and nobody else. I always think in the back of my mind, that I am setting a good example. I just put on some good music and look ahead. IF anything, the same people that may be looking at you will either join in or be amazed by the transformation of you. Who needs a gym? I don't use one and don't plan on it either. There is so much out there for free. IN the words of nike: Just do it!!
  • kernan1987
    kernan1987 Posts: 3 Member
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    It does get easier with time and you just dont care what people think anymore. let people look, who cares what they think! at the end of the day you are doing something positive for you! to hell with everyone else! hold your head high and jogg hunny!

    Smile at people you pass, thank them if they move aside for you, more people then not can respect what your doing rather then to mock you (and those that do mock or normally insure themselves anyway)

    This a million times. If ever I see anyone running in the street (more especially before I started running myself) I would absolutely tip my hat to them. Never even crossed my mind to say anything demeaning or rude because at the end of the day, they're doing something positive to change the way they live. In fact, I was more inclined to be slightly jealous of their ability to get out and go running while looking like they didn't care what people thought! When I started running I was really sure that people were looking thinking what a goon I looked (I think I run funny.....) I still went out and eventually stopped caring about how sweaty or how red faced I was, I focussed on how far or how fast I ran. Once you get over the idea of people looking at you, running can be an awesome thing for escaping for even a few minutes from real life! Just a few minutes on your own, in your own head, without a care in the world......bliss!
  • Dino_bacon2112
    Dino_bacon2112 Posts: 341 Member
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    You just go. No one is looking at you.

    This. I kept telling myself "I won't let somebody's petty judgement stand in the way of what I want to do." Honestly, if somebody sees an overweight person jogging and judges them, it reflects poorly on their personality, IMO.
  • RunningMs
    RunningMs Posts: 52 Member
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    I remember this feeling well. It took a while to get over the fear. When I first started running I used to walk a kilometer to my run start point which was a trail outside of town. My advice would be to go out there and focus on you. Concentrate of your form, your breathing; you may find that by focusing on this you mind doesn't go into that "fear" mode.

    You should also keep your safety in mind. A injury, medical incident ( or worse) in a isolated area could turn into a terrible situation if help if far away.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,041 Member
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    You just do it.
    If people are laughing at you, who cares? At least you're being active.
    I hope people think this about me "man... Look at that big girl running. Props to her for not being a lazy fat fluck."
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    I'm not even going to apologize for saying this. Your mom is horrible and has clearly scarred you. You said that you're over what she has said to you. This is probably easier said than done, but just try to think of other people as your mom. Don't pay any attention to what you THINK they're saying about you. I don't think that anyone who is out running for the sake of their health will mock a chubby (you said it) person for trying to get in shape. They will probably be proud of you. I know that I am whenever I see an overweight person running, even just walking. I wouldn't jog in the woods anyway. That just sounds too scary. Please stop doing that and don't run in the early morning or late at night just to avoid people. Being out on the streets at night by yourself is dangerous. You're putting your life in danger jogging through the woods and possibly in odd hours of the day just because you're afraid of what people MIGHT think of you. Is it worth it? Good luck you to. :smile:

    ETA this link that I couldn't find before: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/956718-hey-fat-girl

    Werd.
  • Project_Jodie
    Project_Jodie Posts: 171
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    Noone is looking at you or cares what you look like except you. Just go! :)
  • Marcia315
    Marcia315 Posts: 460 Member
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    If somebody says something to you, tell them, "I can lose weight. You will always be an *kitten*."
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
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    I live in the same boat as you. I only run under the cover of darkness. lol
  • glitterstreet
    glitterstreet Posts: 144
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    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6S3rz-CYh_o&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D6S3rz-CYh_o
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    No one is looking at you. No one will give you a second thought. Other runners will nod or say hi, then go on with their workout.

    I've been running for most of my life. I can count the number of times someone has yelled something at me on one hand.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
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    No one is looking at you. No one will give you a second thought. Other runners will nod or say hi, then go on with their workout.

    Yep! I worried about being judged when I started running. What I have found is that most runners LOVE seeing new runners. Lets face it, it's a crazy thing to love to do. It's hard, you get hot and sweaty, sometimes it rains, and yet there we are, running. The more people we can get in our club, the less crazy we'll seem.

    Just get out there, crank up your music, and after a few runs the world will disappear.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,154 Member
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    Except for your mother, who obviously needs a verbal smackdown, no one ever sees a jogger of any size or shape without thinking guiltily, "Now that is what I should be doing!" So just go and enjoy.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,154 Member
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    If you get heckled, well that's why we have middle fingers.


    :laugh:

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