How did you overcome anxiety of running in public?
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I've got social anxiety, but when I walk I also bird/animal watch and spend more time wondering where a bird I hear is than what someone walking by is thinking. Also, smiling seems to help. Maybe it's just the friendly Seattle area people, but I've found most people smile back which really helps with anxiety. You can't think someone is thinking something negative about you when they smile.0
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I never really worried about other people before, but I just run at night because that's when my kids are asleep. I head out around 10pm usually and jog about a mile then come back home, take a quick shower, and watch some TV. No one can really see you running at night. This all depends on your neighborhood and stuff though as that can be a bad thing too. Just have to use your best judgment. Works great for me though with my schedule.0
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I don't run, but I jump rope on the driveway. It's a very busy street so a lot of cars pass by and I see people stare, but I don't care. Sometimes people will smile, give a thumbs up, and sometimes even cheer. You just have to get out there and do it.0
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It's always the same thing: I get ready to go for a run, I get out there, I start running...and then the anxiety hits me. I am scared people are looking at me or that I look stupid.
Nobody cares, they are too wrapped up in their own ****.
I realize it's not that simple for you, if this is a serious issue it may be time to work with a professional. Good luck!0 -
Let me add to my last post ...
Many people have suggested music but I'd recommend limiting electronics. Rather than being distracted by some inane noise being pumped into your head, you may be better served by paying attention to yourself, your thoughts, and your surroundings. I have found that I enjoy my bike rides more if I maintain awareness of my surroundings, enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells around me, think about my day, and reflect on the good things I have in my life.
Keep on keeping on.
I'll disagree with you on this one. While riding, definitely no headphones - need to hear traffic, etc. Running - absolutely have to have headphones with music - shuts out distractions, allows me to focus on technique and let's my mind wander. In the pool, it's just me and my crazy self thoughts.0 -
I wear headphones but don't play anything on them. that way I can hear when runkeeper updates my status, but it also gives me the ability to hear real hazards and ignore people I want to pretend I didn't hear.0
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I had this issue with riding my bike, as an obese middle aged woman. It still bugs me sometimes, but I just tell myself...who cares. Even if they DO notice me I'll be forgotten by the time they go around the next bend. Just keep on keeping on. It gets better...the more you tell your mind to STHU (shut the heck up) and just get on with it.
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When I run/jog/hike I breath like a pig. I can hear myself over my ear buds. Whatever. I just keep on moving. You have to. We are all here for you. People who stare are most likely thinking, "Geeze...she's doing it...why should I?"0
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I find that running knickers are better than shorts because they don't ride up.
You can get running shirts with little grippy dots inside the bottom hem to keep them from riding up. Also many yoga tops are designed to avoid riding up/falling off over your head during inversions. Yoga tops are also good for running.0 -
mostly by realizing most people don't give a $%^* about what i am doing cause they are so concerned about what they are doing.
True. It never occurred to me to be self conscious about it. Running is such a common form of exercise; I'm just one of a bazillion other people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and fitness levels out for a run. Nobody cares.0 -
I wonder if you have anxiety regarding other situations in your life? If you don't and it is just when you are excercising, why on earth would you care what anyone thinks about you and your possible labored breathing?
When I go out walking or ever-so-slowly chugging away at my wog as I am doing my C25K training runs, I KNOW it is not a pretty site. My face is as magenta as my shirt. I have to double down on the sports bras to keep the girls in check, so I rock that loaf-like uniboob. I pant like I am fleeing from a grizzly bear up a mountain. My shirt rides up and settles in the belly valleys. My shorts start riding lower and I get the progressive baggy butt. Ugly. Straight up pitiful.
And every.single.person. I pass who is excercising says hello to me. No exceptions. It is like that secret hand signal that all the Harley riders give each other - a measure of respect and camaraderie.
I have never had nasty comments yelled out car windows. No teenagers on bikes have made smart remarks. Nothing like that. I am out there. I am trying to improve my health and my life. I think people see that and at least give me a mental 'atta girl'.
When you are excercising, even if you are not looking your vogue fresh best, you are standing up for your future and your life and your health. I don't think you would stay in a burning building just because you couldn't find any clothes to put on. Being outside, attempting to reach your best potential may not be as urgent, but it is as important. You have as much right to be who and where you are right now as anyone else. Believe it. I do :happy:0 -
Run blindfolded? Kidding! Most people will respect you just for getting out there - so just do it!0
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Yes, people may be looking at you..so what? They're not in a position to judge though when you're out there getting your bad-@ss on and they're not.
Oh, and you're welcome to come running with me any day. I play air-drums to the music in my headphones while I'm running and I don't care what people think when they see me.0 -
Run with a buddy for the first few times.0
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What a timely topic! I was literally just thinking about this very thing on my run tonight.
I used to be VERY self-conscious about what others thought while I exercised, because I knew I was out of shape. I had a friend offer to run with me once years ago, and I nearly cancelled on her several times leading up to the run because I was mortified by the thought of her having to slow down with me and walk with me. The thought of running in public kept me inside many a night before.
At first all I did was buy some running gear so that I felt like I didn't stick out like a sore thumb in my husband's borrowed fitness clothes. Ha! As if that mattered to anyone - oh well, it was a good start!
Then I started to just talk myself through several counter-arguments to my negative self-talk while I ran:
- Most people probably don't notice you
- If they do, they are likely thinking, "way to get fit!"
- If they see you red-faced, walking or running incredibly slow, they don't know if you've just run 0.5 km or 20 before they saw you
- Even if they are thinking negative thoughts about you, you'll never know, so why go there?
- Okay, you're going there? Sure. Well let's play that out. They're thinking "wow, what a horrible, terrible, awful, slow fat runner that is!" ... so what did that accomplish? Did it physically hurt you? Make you incapable of running? Nope. So keep going. They can think whatever they like.
- Truth is, they are not likely to tell you what they are thinking. So you get to either block them out, or assume what they're thinking. So just think they're cheering you on! (if you must acknowledge them at all).
Sometimes I'll challenge that negative thought by making myself show how nice people are - force myself to give them the smile/nod/tiny wave as I run by. 99% of people smile back or say "hello". There - the world is no longer a crappy place!
My other strategy for getting comfortable with running was just making a fantastic running play list. I'd be so excited to get out there and listen to it that it didn't matter what else was going on around me. Plus, the music usually made me feel happy or bad-*kitten*, so I was less inclined to imagine people mocking me.
Very soon you will like running and be hard-pressed to care what others think.0 -
First of all, quit caring what other ppl think and lose yourself in music I'm usually the biggest one when I'm out there pushing myself thru a half marathon...you'll find that some of the nicest and most encouraging people out there are runners. It gets easier...I promise: )0
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I used to be the same way. Wear cute running clothes, and pretend you're a pro who's been doing it for years. Fake it till you make it! 0
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Get a bike and start with cycling instead:
If anyone does look at you, you're travelling faster and out of view quicker! Plus you get the added benefit of being sitting down most of the time
I used to be a little bit fearful of going out and about, then after being overtaken a few times by guys in all the gear on their fancy bikes and pushing to keep up with them I realised I was just as good as them. For a mile or so anyway...
Now I just pootle around at my own pace, enjoying seeing all the stuff you never notice when driving around, I hardly notice or care about other people now.0 -
Thank you everyone! You all really helped me Steve, my sister said I can have her bike when she moves to Ontario so I will be biking as much as possible! 0
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I killed a few people who shouted out their car windows or gave me funny looks. After awhile it stopped happening or else I stopped noticing. I haven't had to hide a body in ages!
Just kidding. I actually started by walking and running at night. Sometimes very late at night. Will depend on you and where you live whether that's an option for you or not. I wouldn't walk down a public street at four a.m. but this neighborhood is quiet enough.0 -
I started out running around my neighborhood early in the morning when nobody was around. Then one day, there was another runner -- much fitter and faster -- on the sidewalk coming toward me. As he passed I checked to see if he was silently judging me. But he said good morning and waved. After that I realized I was worrying over nothing. 0
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Running is awesome. Ergo, runners are awesome.0
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I was just talking to my husband about this. I've been a treadmill runner for years. But lately, I've been venturing outside for runs. (I did 8 miles today - something I've never done before!) But I'm slow. Crazzzzzy slow. Sometimes my run is slower than a fast walk. But I keep going. I know how I look. I'm sweaty, heaving, and flushed from exertion, but I keep on going. And you know what? Every car that passes gives me a wave; several motorcycle riders give me a thumbs up. I'll often get an encouraging beep from a truck driver. Because I'm working. And what I'm doing is working for me.
I'm proud of my slow runs, because you know what? I'm still running. I'm still losing weight. And I'm still faster than the person who hasn't gotten up off their couch yet.
Don't sweat your anxiety. (Pun intended.) You keep on going.0 -
By realizing you would never worry about what people thought of you if you knew how little they actually DO.
It's a little bit of an ego sting, but remind yourself that you are pretty much NOTHING to observers as you run. They do not give a flying fornication about you, or your running, or your life. Ouch, you say? Not at all! How much thought do YOU give to joggers-by? None, I'd bet. As a general rule, they will almost always extend you the same courtesy.
Go run. Do your thing, because everyone else is too busy doing their things to notice you. Take advantage of that.0 -
I honestly still have issues with running/jogging in public thanks to a "friend" who made fun of me when I tried running a Couch to 5K program, I had my dog with me who is a pug and snorts a lot, and she said, in front of a lot of people, "I saw you running the other day, I don't know who looked worse, you or the dog" and she laughed, and I'm sure it was meant to be "funny" and poking fun, but it really made me self conscious and I ended up NOT running at all for 4 months. Now unfortunately it still affects me as I'm over 200 lbs and 5 ft 1 in and feel like I'm a whale out running, so I honestly started running very early in the morning, when its still dark, or late at night. I live in a small town, though, so its not a safety issue for me. I hope to someday be able to run in public without a care. I have noticed that the few people I see running during the time I run have all been friendly and saying HI and "great morning for a run" or things like that, never heard anyone laughing at me from the fellow runners. I hope you'll be able to find something that works for you! I regret letting that person make me afraid to run, because I had to start over on the Couch to 5K and I could've been doing and ran my first 5K by now if I didn't let her words get to me.0
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You may be surprised that the majority of the people out there are probably thinking "good for her" or "go get it!" I've been running for a long time now and I'm always encouraged when I see runners out running (all shapes and speeds).0
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Running is awesome. Ergo, runners are awesome.
QFT0 -
I honestly still have issues with running/jogging in public thanks to a "friend" who made fun of me when I tried running a Couch to 5K program, I had my dog with me who is a pug and snorts a lot, and she said, in front of a lot of people, "I saw you running the other day, I don't know who looked worse, you or the dog" and she laughed, and I'm sure it was meant to be "funny" and poking fun, but it really made me self conscious and I ended up NOT running at all for 4 months. Now unfortunately it still affects me as I'm over 200 lbs and 5 ft 1 in and feel like I'm a whale out running, so I honestly started running very early in the morning, when its still dark, or late at night. I live in a small town, though, so its not a safety issue for me. I hope to someday be able to run in public without a care. I have noticed that the few people I see running during the time I run have all been friendly and saying HI and "great morning for a run" or things like that, never heard anyone laughing at me from the fellow runners. I hope you'll be able to find something that works for you! I regret letting that person make me afraid to run, because I had to start over on the Couch to 5K and I could've been doing and ran my first 5K by now if I didn't let her words get to me.
Your friend suffers from both mouthitis and thinkshefunny. As a longtime sufferer of both afflictions, I urge you not to take her seriously. Besides, none of us looks as funny running as we do when we're so out of shape we wheeze just walking up some stairs.0 -
I used to be worried about walking around in public for exercise (I don't run yet) but I'm noticing that nobody pays attention to me at all, except other people who are out doing what I'm doing. The kicker? They've all been fairly fit and always pass me with a wave or smile.
Just get out there and do it, don't worry about what anyone thinks because the majority of people are going to be thinking 'good for her' and not 'ew, look at her...'0 -
I honestly still have issues with running/jogging in public thanks to a "friend" who made fun of me when I tried running a Couch to 5K program, I had my dog with me who is a pug and snorts a lot, and she said, in front of a lot of people, "I saw you running the other day, I don't know who looked worse, you or the dog" and she laughed, and I'm sure it was meant to be "funny" and poking fun, but it really made me self conscious and I ended up NOT running at all for 4 months. Now unfortunately it still affects me as I'm over 200 lbs and 5 ft 1 in and feel like I'm a whale out running, so I honestly started running very early in the morning, when its still dark, or late at night. I live in a small town, though, so its not a safety issue for me. I hope to someday be able to run in public without a care. I have noticed that the few people I see running during the time I run have all been friendly and saying HI and "great morning for a run" or things like that, never heard anyone laughing at me from the fellow runners. I hope you'll be able to find something that works for you! I regret letting that person make me afraid to run, because I had to start over on the Couch to 5K and I could've been doing and ran my first 5K by now if I didn't let her words get to me.
Terribly sorry to hear that happened to you. Your "friend" might have been joking/playing around or thought she was being funny BUT that was a damn rude comment that was obviously meant to make you feel self-conscious and put you down from your efforts. Even if they didn't mean it, they should have assess the person's self esteem first before making those comments! I've heard bitter comments like that before from co-workers/friends/family. Not gonna lie, some people are indeed *kitten*. They're going to talk, joke and bully, especially the mean sarcastic ones but your own efforts into fitness should be top priority. As a runner myself, everyone I see outside walking/running along with me is friendly and always greets me politely. In my neighborhood, it's especially rare to even be going for a walk or a run outside because the norm today is to drive around or sit on the couch at home watching TV all day. You should be proud that you're trying and doing something most people probably would never put the effort into (ie. running Cto5K or more or even sticking to losing weight)!!1
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