i can't get past 9 miles - mental block

godblessourhome
godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
edited October 3 in Fitness and Exercise
i do not know how my half-marathon is going to go in two weeks. i don't know why i can't get past the mental block of running more than 9 miles. several experienced runners have told me that if i can run 9 miles, i can do a half-marathon. what is my deal?

here is how my '12-mile' run today went went: going fine, small pain behind my left knee from bikram yoga. get to 9.1 miles and hit a wall. can't run another second or i'll die. slow down and walk a mile, then run a mile. hit another wall and want to be done, but i want to run all 12 miles. walk another mile, run another mile. i am hating life, hating running, hating the whole world. stop and cry; only one more mile to run. walk another mile, run another mile.

not fun. :( only short runs next week, so i guess i need to prepare myself that i might have to walk some of it. i feel very discouraged.

Replies

  • AZTrailRunner
    AZTrailRunner Posts: 1,199 Member
    Are you refueling every 35-45 minutes?
    Perhaps try different routes, ones that may force you to complete the extra distance or call for a ride.
    What about pace, maybe go out a little slower.

    You are right though, running is very much a mental game. :smile:
  • dietingdebbie
    dietingdebbie Posts: 28 Member
    Hi

    sorry to read that you are struggling but wondered if you refueled along the way? maybe a gel or jelly babies at around the 6 mile point which should hopefully start to kick in then by the time you reach 9 mile :smile: to give you the energy so you dont hit the wall.

    All the best for your half in a few weeks, which one are you doing ?

    I am doing one end of Oct but due to not much running of late am just going along with the attitude not going to worry about a time just get round and enjoy the race. xxx
  • crux
    crux Posts: 454 Member
    Even If it's a mind thing then the extra energy from fuelling during the run may help you bust through the 9 miles mark. Hydrate, fuel and maybe take it a touch slower in the first 10k's.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    Are you refueling every 35-45 minutes?
    no, i refuel once at 7 miles.
    Perhaps try different routes, ones that may force you to complete the extra distance or call for a ride.
    that might help. i go on a loop around my house. it is 3.14 miles so it is fairly perfect to know the distance. maybe i need to check out a new loop on dailymile.com.
    What about pace, maybe go out a little slower.

    i already feel like i am going slow. i average a 12:12 minute mile, when i normally like to go 8-10. what is a good speed to shoot for?
  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
    Even If it's a mind thing then the extra energy from fuelling during the run may help you bust through the 9 miles mark. Hydrate, fuel and maybe take it a touch slower in the first 10k's.

    Im sorry you are having such a rough time. Honestly my opinion is if you can go 8 miles you can do the half marathon without problems. What are you doing for fueling though. Alot of the time when I look back at a bad run its because I made fueling mistakes. I am not like everyone else (not having a colon) but fueling is absolutely crucial to me and my success in runs. I use G2 and Chomps and I have to remind myself to start fueling well before I think I need to. You could also try inserting a few walk breaks, if that is your thing (Im a Galloway girl).

    The fact that you said you hit a wall ... but then ran another mile... shows that you are mentally strong. You can do this ... you will do this!
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    All the best for your half in a few weeks, which one are you doing ?

    I am doing one end of Oct but due to not much running of late am just going along with the attitude not going to worry about a time just get round and enjoy the race. xxx

    i'm doing the rock and roll denver half marathon. good luck to you on yours!
  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
    Are you refueling every 35-45 minutes?
    no, i refuel once at 7 miles.

    i already feel like i am going slow. i average a 12:12 minute mile, when i normally like to go 8-10. what is a good speed to shoot for?

    If you are waiting until mile 7 you are waiting too long. You should start refueling about 45 minutes into your run ... well before you feel that you need it. I start with Chomps at mile 2.5 to 3 ... and take one every mile thereafter ... (recommend is 4 every hour but my stomach cannot handle that).
  • FatUncleRob
    FatUncleRob Posts: 341
    Maybe you are running too fast.
    I know it seems really awkward sometimes, but try to concentrate on running REALLY slowly.
    The first time I ran 7 miles I think I was running ~ 14:30 mile pace (instead of what I thought was my "normal" 10:30 pace).
    I was almost embarrassed to log that run - because I figured that I can WALK at that pace!
    The important thing was that it got me over that mental block and it got my body used to running for a long TIME as well as a long DISTANCE.

    Keep on trying, but you need to pace yourself so that these longer runs aren't so miserable.

    You can do it! :flowerforyou:
  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
    All the best for your half in a few weeks, which one are you doing ?

    I am doing one end of Oct but due to not much running of late am just going along with the attitude not going to worry about a time just get round and enjoy the race. xxx

    i'm doing the rock and roll denver half marathon. good luck to you on yours!

    My running partner is doing that race ... Im Jealous! :)
  • _Sally_
    _Sally_ Posts: 514 Member
    In addition to making sure you are hydrating and refueling, I would suggest shorter walking breaks of only a couple of minutes, not a whole mile, because your body is going to start cooling down/recovering and is not going to want to start running again.

    Regarding hydration and refueling, I take some sips every 15 minutes or so, and refuel after first 45 minutes, then about every 30 - 45 minutes minutes, depending on how I feel - you can use a gel you buy or google online for whole foods based refueling foods/drinks you make yourself - I just had some dates with me for my last 12 mile run)

    Also, how about getting a running partner for your long runs? How about listening to an audio book on your iPod?

    Best of luck on your upcoming half marathon. Just start out slower than you want to, and slower than those around you, and then when you are warmed up after the first mile or so, you will find a comfortable pace and enjoy the run!
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    i'm doing the rock and roll denver half marathon. good luck to you on yours!

    My running partner is doing that race ... Im Jealous! :)

    next year come with him and we'll do it together. :)
  • hikeout470
    hikeout470 Posts: 628 Member
    I found that in racing, you train at a much higher level than the actual event. Getting through the event, you use simple carbs. The last half of the last 100 mile bike event I did, were all cookies. Every stop.
  • _Sally_
    _Sally_ Posts: 514 Member
    Agree with other poster... if you are waiting until mile 7 to refuel.. that is too late. I don't go more than 4 miles before I refuel on longer runs (of course, if I'm only running 5 - 7 miles total, I don't refuel at all).

    Also, if I were you, I would not worry about pace or time. Go by how you feel. You should feel like you are working and breathing hard, but can maintain the pace indefinitely and can reasonably hold a conversation (which is also why it's helpful to have a running partner :smile: )

    My long runs are often 1:30 - 2 minute per mile pace slower than my shorter runs - and this is intentional, since the long steady runs have a different training objective than other types of training runs.
  • KavemanKarg
    KavemanKarg Posts: 266
    Karg tinks above gud advice.

    Karg tinks race day dat joo will say "Self, today me no quit, today me a winner" and dat joo will finish da race.

    Karg tinks u can run it, but dat during practice run it not be enuff pressure, cuz joo can quit, joo lose nothing cuz it only practice. Race day peeples be watching, Karg tinks you push harder den.

    Karg say good luk!!
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
    thanks everyone for helping me realize i am not fueling soon enough in the run or with the right things (normally i just have a handful of pretzels and m&m's).
  • AZTrailRunner
    AZTrailRunner Posts: 1,199 Member
    It takes approximately 15 minutes for gels and fuel drinks to be digested and used as fuel. So, as the others stated, fuel sooner (35-45 min), and every mile or 2 after that. I like GU Chomps. They are like gummy bears, and are much easier and cleaner to use than gels (and taste better). You want to avoid using gels/ gummies AND Gatorade. That may lead to "sugar belly", which is a whole other irritating situation. :-D
  • HolleeERL
    HolleeERL Posts: 313 Member
    i already feel like i am going slow. i average a 12:12 minute mile, when i normally like to go 8-10. what is a good speed to shoot for?

    You should go as slow as you need to in order to get to the end. If that means doing 15:00 miles, then that's what you need to do. The goal is to finish - not to finish fast.
  • luv2run
    luv2run Posts: 54 Member
    You can do it!! We all have bad running days,I had the same kinda thing happen to me a couple weeks ago went out for a 9 mile run and the last 3 miles were horrible torture I was walking and running and totally fustrated but then the very next week I went out for a 11 mile run and it went great! Running is mostly mental so be careful what you say to yourself when you find you are hitting that wall, When I hit that wall I will tell myself just make it to that stop sign or whatever and when I reach the landmark I take a short walking water break and then I pick another point and so on and so on. I also try not to let my mind wander to negative thoughts, keep your thoughts positive when you start to feel you are going to hit that wall, My pastor at church has a saying that I love and have applied it to running often: Act your way into a feeling !! If you feel like you can't make it and you tell yourself that, you wont make it, but if you act like you can make it you will!!
    Keep up the good work, you will have a great half marathon
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Bump
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