Question for runners

jdub2131
jdub2131 Posts: 20
edited October 3 in Fitness and Exercise
I am NOT a runner, and have never been one. I used to be a college basketball player and have never had to run long distance and have always had to so short sprints, etc. I am now trying to become a runner. I don't hate running, actually I think I've come to somehow enjoy it a bit which I though would NEVER happen. I think I am taking to running because of the amount of calories you can burn doing it. For the last 2 weeks I have been running on an indoor track and have managed to run 4 miles per day (huge accomplishment for me). I can't (or rather, mentally cannot) run the 4 miles straight. I started off running a mile, walking an 1/8 mile lap, running another mile, then 1/2 mile, 1/2 mile until I get my 4 miles in. The last 3 days I have been able to make it a whole 2 miles without stopping. I think I am stopping myself not because I am tired, but because I feel a sense of accomplishment and sort of "give up" and think that I cannot run more than 16 laps straight.

Anyways...enough about my story. The real reason I am posting is because I would like advice from runners on how to force myself to go farther. How to not stop myself at a certain mark? I don't intend to run in any marathons or anything, however I would like to be able to not have to take a walk break in between my running. Any suggestions? How do I change my mentality towards running?

Replies

  • liz11599
    liz11599 Posts: 220 Member
    Bump. Having this same mental block myself!
  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 526 Member
    The most I have run without stopping it 2.25 miles. I have been running for a couple years. I have done a bunch of 5k's, one 10k and two Sunday's ago, I did my first Half Marathon. I have to stop and walk... even if it is only for 20 steps (yes, sometimes I count them). When it gets hard, I say "ok, I will walk 20 steps (or 10 or 30 or whatever) and then I will start running again."

    I was talking to my boss aboutt his one day and he told me about a guy he met who ran a marathon by running a mile, then walking for 40 seconds. He did the marathon in under 3 hours. So - he was saying, running without stopping to walk a little is over-rated.
  • indie333
    indie333 Posts: 1 Member
    im not a natual runner, its a real struggle :( i do it most days and find if i run outdoors im better (on a treadmill i'll stop because i can) - try and find a nice circular route and tell yourself you've got to be back for a certain time - that way you cant stop halfway round because you've stilll got to get yourself home and if you stop and walk you'll only take longer to get back! :p works for me :blushing:
  • nickfn
    nickfn Posts: 19
    Couple of things I've heard from other runners that you can try- you could try running at a slower pace so you aren't as exhausted at the end of 16 laps. Even if this means a 12 min/mile pace or whatever...it's all about breaking the mental block of 'only can last 16 laps'. The other thing I might suggest is get off the track and onto a road or trail. I usually run my intervals at the track, but when I do a medium run, it bores me to death. All those left turns :)

    Personally, when I am close to exhaustion I keep asking myself, "am I about to pass out? are my legs literally about to collapse from lack of glucose?" The answer is always no. So I keep going. At some point for me running just becomes the acknowledgement that our bodies can far surpass what our brains think they can.

    Regardless, it sounds like you have an excellent attitude and I have no doubt you will shatter that 16 lap barrier. Good luck!
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
    In July I could run about a mile. Monday I finished a 10k (I actually did 6.5 miles)

    What I did was set goals... and then proceeded to set those goals on fire.

    My goal in month #1 was to be able to finish two miles. Two weeks later I added another mile and was doing 5k. Two weeks later another mile. Etc....

    My goal is to get up to 10 miles. I run a 10 minute mile when doing long distance running.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    Honestly, anger fuels my running. Like a dark lord of the sith from star wars. I just put it all in there and stomp it to the ground.
    Why not run outside, that would really switch things up.

    Your doing running sets then, I don't see whats the problem with that. I don't always run strait though mine. Many times I'll run 5k. walk for 10 min then run another 10 min. I never feel that I'm not a runner or not doing my potential.

    So with all that running and breaks. Do you get the runners high? That is pretty intense and can keep me going for a little extra.
  • hobbajobba
    hobbajobba Posts: 4
    Hi
    I am a FORMER runner :) I have back and knee problems, as well as asthma, and these things have stopped my running. I completed a half marathon in 2004, but did not really stop running for good until last year. Anyway...just qualifying myself to answer your question! :)

    I had to mentally prepare myself to run-even if it was only 2 miles. It helped that I had a friend who also ran, and we were competitive with each other. The best way that I found was to just force myself to work up. Run a mile and a quarter, and then stop. The next time, run a mile and a half, then stop....and so on. Slow your pace if that makes it any better. There are some great running books out there-Hal Higdon and Jeff Galloway are 2 great runners/authors.

    I don't know if any of that was helpful or not, but good luck and keep running! :)
  • laz22girl
    laz22girl Posts: 47
    Running is 95% mental. I've been running for 4-5 yrs. I go through periods where the sky is the limits. I also go through periods where I can't push through. I'm in a slump now, and I was having a hard time not stopping after 1 mile, for what, I have no idea. I've done a half before, so certainly I can push through. Well, the last time I went running, I did a different route and didn't look at my garmin. I did not stop until 1.75 miles, but it was only a second. I just kept talking myself through the run. I am doing a 10 mile race next weekend and I'm not as prepared as I want to be, but I intend to talk myself through the race and allow walking breaks.

    For you, I think the first thing is to get off of a track! I think I'd shoot myself in the head if I did 16 laps for one mile.

    Go outside or even the TM.
  • jsjaclark
    jsjaclark Posts: 303
    Maybe try running outside (not on a track) if the weather allows. I personally hate running on a treadmill and running on a track. I like the changing scenery. Don't know if that would help, but just a thought.
  • tmtolbert
    tmtolbert Posts: 59 Member
    i too have recently started running and am training for a 5k in 3 1/2 weeks. i don't know if this is an option for you or if it will help you at all, but one of the things i have discovered is that i can run farther and longer on the treadmill than i can outside or on a track. so i have begun to have "treadmill" days and "outside" days. having my treadmill days really boosts up my confidence that i can run for longer stretches than i think i can, so when i am outside and i want to stop and walk i just tell myself "no! you can keep going, you have done it before, you can do it again!" also, when i am on the treadmill, i don't let myself stop in the middle of a minute. for example, if i am at 17:35 on the treadmill i make myself run to an even 18:00 minutes. most often i find that the next time i look at the clock i am at 18:04 or something so i have to finish out the minute. it is little mind games like that that keep me pushing longer. i don't know if that would help you are not, but it definitely helps me!
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    im not a natual runner, its a real struggle :( i do it most days and find if i run outdoors im better (on a treadmill i'll stop because i can) - try and find a nice circular route and tell yourself you've got to be back for a certain time - that way you cant stop halfway round because you've stilll got to get yourself home and if you stop and walk you'll only take longer to get back! :p works for me :blushing:

    I found the exact opposite worked for me to get though my distance bump. I ran strait in a line. in order to get back I had to walk it. After a few times, I started just running back because it took to long to walk.
  • rgrange
    rgrange Posts: 236 Member
    I think of my goal body and how I won't get it if I stop running before I finish 5 miles. It's worked pretty well.
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
    A couple of things that work for me....

    Try interval training one or two times a week - Interval workouts for runners can be found anywhere on the internet. Not only are they a great way to burn fast calories and help with stubborn belly fat, they increase speed and endurance. when I was running ALOT ( Just getting over my 6 week lazy hump ) this really helped me out alot.

    And my non serious answer is that when I think I cannot go anymore ( or when my mind says I cant ) I imagine someone I love dying if I dont make it to that tree, or around the next lap, etc. Crazy I know....but it works :)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I'm able to run longer distances without stopping when I run with someone else. We motivate each other and I'm less likely to stop unless I really need to because I don't want to let my running partner down.

    That said, there is a growing school of thought that you can actually increase your time in races by walking some and running some. I rarely do a run without some walking involved.
  • mkallie
    mkallie Posts: 110 Member
    I used to be a non-runner, and I'm still sort of a BAD runner, but I'm up to a 10k finally which I think is pretty decent given that I used to seriously not be able to run more than 2 minutes at a time. :) I used to be more of a sprinter back in grade/middle school and then went to a high school that didn't have sports and sort of lost "it".

    I've found that it usually takes me a mile or two to really even feel like I've hit my stride. The hardest part of the run is the first part, and I find myself sort of fighting my body and feeling like I want to quit early on. If you can get through that, then it gets easier. Generally now I find myself stopping when I'm tired or when I've met the goal I've set for myself. It is funny to me though that the later part of the run is the easier part and the early part is the hard part.

    I agree with the advice on getting out too -- I can suffer through a treadmill or a track, but it is PAINFUL (especially for longer distances). Having visual stimuli helps keep things fresh and helps take your mind off what your body's doing. For me, the WORST thing I can do is be aware of the time. If I know I'm running to a distance, knowing how far I've gone can be motivating, but for some reason watching the time pass is a killer.
  • BobbyDaniel
    BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,459 Member
    You have got a great start to build off of! I was a football player in high school, offensive lineman, so my only real background was running sprints...if they even suggested distance runs I would fake being sick (did that once, didn't work!). Anyway, last year I did C25K and that got me to where I am today, ran 12.4 miles last Saturday, running a 1/2 marathon in December.
    As for your blocks, the suggestion to slowing your pace down will help you go longer. Also, maybe moving form indoors to outdoors. For me, I have a hard time running longer distances at a track. Last night I ran 12 laps at our high school track to break in some new shoes and it felt like it took me FOREVER on the hamster wheel of boredom. If I had been on the road, I probably would have gone at least another mile or two. So think about the change of scenery.
    Also, try finding some kind of training program online that will build off of where you are now. Couch to 5K if you want to start small, or even consider the Bridge to 10K if you feel a bit more adventurous. There are probably more out there, those are the only 2 I know off.
    Good luck! This running stuff works, even for those who never were runners, I'm proof positive!
  • PhotographerOfNature
    PhotographerOfNature Posts: 452 Member
    BUMPITY BUMP BUMP

    The best I have run so far is 1 1/2 miles nonstop in 16:20:04. 16 minutes, 20 seconds and so on. Some days I can run this nonstop and feel great. Other days, it kills me and I have to stop and walk 10 steps in between. Why is it that some days you can run forever and others you can't run hardly any at all? I have been running on and off for 5 years, and it doesn't always seem any easier. Why??? :grumble:
  • sunshineshica
    sunshineshica Posts: 277
    I run outside and I run until I get to 2 miles. I'm like you, i just stop just to be stopping. Running around a track will get boring which is why I prefer running outside. Listening to music helps push me. Like I'd say, "I'm gonna stop after the next song" and usually I'm thinking hey I can make it thru another song and so on. Try that.
  • jdub2131
    jdub2131 Posts: 20
    I prefer the track over running outside or on a treadmill. I use a college fitness center, so the track is located above the basketball courts...I LOVE the smell of a gym (reminds me of my playing days)! I think that's what gets me going...being able to watch folks hoop below me and literally, the smell of the gym. I also have a slight ego, and when I go to the gym rather than running outside, I run farther because I mentally compete with others on the track (i don't want to be that person that quit after 2 laps lol). That probably sounds crazy, but for me it is a bit of a motivator. Thanks for your suggestions...I know I don't HAVE to be able to run 5 or 6 miles straight ot whatever, but I think it'd be a great accomplishment. Maybe I should sign up for a 5K or something to have a motivating factor of why I want to run farther. Although, it's about to be winter here in good ol' Wisconsin, so I don't think there are too many events left :)
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
    Running on a treadmill is horrible. I'm actually a lot slower on a treadmill.

    And yeah I agree, the first mile or so is the hardest. It's the part where my body is trying to make deals with me to stop. Once I've passed the second mile I'm usually good until mile six or so. That's where my mental block is currently.
  • Faeriegirl74
    Faeriegirl74 Posts: 187 Member
    It's ok to take walk breaks and still be a runner... in fact - former olympic medalist Jeff Galloway endorses run/walk programs and his studies show that those who follow it can and often do beat just "run only" people to the finish time. I agree 100% with his advice... I have completed 3 half marathons, several 10k, and just my daily running doing his methods.
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
    I prefer the track over running outside or on a treadmill. I use a college fitness center, so the track is located above the basketball courts...I LOVE the smell of a gym (reminds me of my playing days)! I think that's what gets me going...being able to watch folks hoop below me and literally, the smell of the gym. I also have a slight ego, and when I go to the gym rather than running outside, I run farther because I mentally compete with others on the track (i don't want to be that person that quit after 2 laps lol). That probably sounds crazy, but for me it is a bit of a motivator. Thanks for your suggestions...I know I don't HAVE to be able to run 5 or 6 miles straight ot whatever, but I think it'd be a great accomplishment. Maybe I should sign up for a 5K or something to have a motivating factor of why I want to run farther. Although, it's about to be winter here in good ol' Wisconsin, so I don't think there are too many events left :)

    Yes ... sign up for a 5k and do it =)
  • ExtremePHIT
    ExtremePHIT Posts: 13
    it will definitely take time to build up your endurance. I never used to be a runner when I was younger and got into it this year and 2 weeks ago I ran a 12 mile trail race through the woods without stopping. I would suggest you start a good cardio program to get your lungs and heart in shape, that's what worked for me.
  • alair1980
    alair1980 Posts: 31 Member
    Take to running outside, then you don't know how far you've gone. Like someone else said running is a mental sport and if your body "expects" a walk break you'll be more likely to take one even if you don't need one.
    You can use a website like mapmyrun.com to map a route so you know the distance.
  • shellbell1993
    shellbell1993 Posts: 315 Member
    I agree that at some point running becomes a mental struggle to keep moving forward. What works for me is upbeat music, telling myself just 5 more mins...and thinking of runners that I admire (main example is Terry Fox -for those fellow Canadians that would know who he is) if he can run accross Canada with one leg and fighting cancer, I can run this!!!!

    You can do this!!!!
  • Pril2000
    Pril2000 Posts: 254 Member
    I have to talk to myself while I run. I couldn't run more than about 2.25 miles straight without stopping and my goal was to run a 5k. So, going into the race I had never run 3.1 miles straight outside (I had done it once on the treadmill), and I just kept saying to myself, "Just keep running, just keep running" (Think Dora from "Finding Nemo"). I also say things like, "If you stop now, you can't say that you did it. You're almost there, and then think about how great it will feel to be able to say you did finished". And it does feel great when you do get through it.

    It's all a mental game. If you're not gasping for breath, about to fall over, then it's all in your head. You have to convince yourself to keep your feet moving. It's not easy. I can run a 5k now pretty easily *most* days, and I still have to psych myself up every time just to get through it. I'm about to start training for a 10k that I'm running in December. I know I'll have to think of some new mantras but that's all part of the challenge.

    I also agree that walking a little during your run won't mean you're not a runner. I ran my fastest 5k ever with a little 10-15 second walk snuck in there, so... yeah. Don't worry about it too much. You're running for you and not for anyone else.
  • lbigham1
    lbigham1 Posts: 132
    I know your struggle! One of the things that really helped me was getting off the track or treadmill and finding a nice park trail. The scenery can really take your mind off the distance. When I first started running at our local lake trail, It was a struggle to make it one mile without stopping. Each time I would push myself a little further. I have now worked myself up to running the entire four mile route and even recently ran my 1st 10K. One very important thing that I had to learn in order to do this was controlled breathing. As long as I'm not gasping for air, I can run on and on. I can't explain how I trained myself to do this (sorry), perhaps another member can give some additional info on breathing techniques. - Hope this helps a little.
  • roadrunner32
    roadrunner32 Posts: 51
    Go slow and try to find different places to run if available. Also joining a running group helps killing the time easier than being on your own. There's nothing like having a running buddy trust me!
    I'm training for Dublin Marathon at the moment and the longest runs have turned out to be the best of all. It is tough but you have to get rid of words like can't, won't, etc. Stay positive and when your legs get heavy just repeat to yourself I CAN DO THIS!!! And when you do it once the second time becomes child play :)

    Good luck!
  • Fit4Vet
    Fit4Vet Posts: 610 Member
    HA! This, this is exactly what I've been dealing with. And, while I know that walk breaks don't mean I'm not a runner, (dang it!) I don't *want* to walk. But, my body sure does. LOL So, I'm just basically bumping this to remember so I can use everyone's advice.
  • Crystel22
    Crystel22 Posts: 237 Member
    I have never been a runner myself until this year. I started on this website in January of this year and I started on the treadmill. Since it was cold outside I would do 20minute sessions on the treadmill. Then I would gradually move my time to more minutes. When it got warmer, I decided to try it outside and it was harder at first. You have the fresh air out there and getting into your lungs and it was an adjustment for me. Eventually I got it together and I would run 2 miles a day. I did try to do a 4 mille run and to my amazement I accomplished it.

    I have recently done a half marahon and surprisingly I ran the whole thing. I never thought I would run the whole thing. I had planned on doing a run walk method, but I was very proud of myself. I hope this helps a little. Good luck on your goals!!
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