When you run...

I think about the most random crap of all time. "I wonder how many people use this trail every day?" "I wonder how big my dog is going to get?" "I wonder how tall my son's going to be?" "Is my butt jiggling a lot?" "What do I want to eat for dinner?" "When's the next crawfish boil going down?" "I want a beer later today."

Also, I sort out things going on in my life. If I've had a bad day, if I'm stressed, if something's bothering me...I hash it all out in my head, like my own private therapy session. And then, if my run gets really tough, I think "you're gonna look SOOOOO HOT if you keep doing this."

I usually think of positive reminders for myself. Or, get distracted by something I see.

But, mostly I count the songs that play while I run. Since I am new to running and training for a half marathon this has been much less daunting than knowing I want to run for 50 minutes straight, etc. I run with a water bottle, so I use my fingers to help keep track of the songs I have been running for - then focusing on my breathing and my stride (or foot fall).

I tell you - it was a VERY happy day the first time I broke 30 songs!

Edited to add: My other favorite things to remember when I am running is the running prayer some one told me:

God if you pick them up, I will put them down. Amen.

I stopped running with music years ago and now I LOVE the quiet or running in the early morning, at sunrise. Sometimes even the birds are too loud for me and disrupt my "zen"! I like to look at peoples houses and critique their landscaping. Or look at other people's outfits and critique what they are wearing.

^^THIS. And what I'm going to eat for the rest of the day thanks to my calorie burn :happy:

I have no idea what I think about...lol...I don't think I think of anything. I feel totally relaxed after running:bigsmile:

I sometimes jog out at night. during the winter when it snows I sometimes think about flying through space pretending I am the Millenium Falcon from Star Wars. I'll even listen to the Star Wars soundtrack on my mp3 player. ( yes I am a geek/nerd why do you ask? :bigsmile: )

I think I love you.

I sing. I think about all my skinny clothes and if I don't run how I might get fat again. I think about how I am setting good habits for my children. And last but not least... I think of how it's such a stress relief.

When I un I listen to music s when I start to get tired I put on faster paced songs. If my legs start to get tired I focus on a different part of my body. I re-focus my breathing and I think of how I feel AFTER my run....I write in my notebook how I feel after a run and I read those things before I start.....it is words like: strong, confident, proud,amazed.

Sometimes I think of my mom and how proud she would be t see me running and getting in shape(she passed away a few years ago)
I think of all thos crazy photos on Pinterest of runners....the one of the Rhino on a treadmill with a poster of a unicorn beside him.
Those quotes that say you are running laps around all those who are sill sitting on their couch.
The quote of " You can workout for 30 min a day or be fat the rest f your life"

I think of my muscles getting stronger and all the fat melting off my body.
Maybe I think too much when I run! LOL!

My mind is completely blank. I run with my ipod and usually by the 2nd or 3rd song I don't even here the music as I am so zoned on my running - the only thing I hear is my feet hitting the pavement.

I am training for my first half that is coming up on May 27th.

just remember-your mind will give up way before your body will!

This!
You are telling yourself you can't. Whether you think you can or you can't, your right.
That's what I love the most about running, going farther, faster, harder, whatever, than you thought you could. Seeing how far the body can really go.
I usually try to focus on getting to a spot, or I count, or just listen to the music, anything but think about being tired. Some of my best runs I am thinking "I can't believe I feel this good, I feel so much better than the last time, I can't wait to log this on MFP" Haha.

I find something that is ahead of me, and I run to there and then right before I get there, I set my sight on something a bit farther down the path..........that's my new strategy anyway ) it is working out pretty well )

I listen to music and pretend I'm singing to a crowd of people.....I always wanted to be a singer, but I know my limitations

I love this remark...I am pretty much the same. I listen to loud, fast tempo music...and "sing" my head off!
Keep on keepin' on my running friend...you will love the benefits.

I run with my two dogs (also attach their leash to my running belt like a previous poster). I spend a lot of time watching them - making sure they aren't struggling, making sure they stay to the right and not interfere with other people on the path, etc. But mostly it's my therapy. Work can be very stressful for me, along with my jerk of an ex husband, so I end up sorting through my issues in my head a lot.

I listen to praise and worship music and pray, sing, or think of all the amazing things God is doing in my life during my runs. It makes every run an awesome experience physically and spiritually! God is so uplifting and just when I feel like my body is wearing down, God gives me another boost to keep on going!

I think of all kinds of things.. I let my mind wander.. but in the beginning when it was hard, I'd count exhalations or every other step or something to keep my mind focused on anything but the discomfort. I listen to music when I run, and my thoughts are always in pictures, so sometimes I can "watch" the whole video of a song or replay an instance from my past that I associate with a song in my head. It comes in real handy having a vivid imagination when it comes to running.

Last night, which is the first time in my life I've been able to run long term - to me long term is more than 5 minutes - I was thinking "holy crap, I've run 15 minutes continuous and I'm not dead", that kept my brain busy. Music helps too. And I think about the bikini I want to look hot in this summer. I've trained it to call me a "fat *ss"...


Before last night I only ran away from wild animals and toward food. But I think the running bug has claimed another victim.