Running in public- confidence issue

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Replies

  • TaylorsGranddad
    TaylorsGranddad Posts: 453 Member
    I agree with what people are saying, run early morning or late evening, thats what I did at first, now I run whenever I want, the confidence WILL come, I promise...

    Something that came to mind cos' of your post, hope this makes you smile too :laugh:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfaztVg4kaA
  • alyson820
    alyson820 Posts: 448 Member
    Run early, and just get over it! You're outpacing everyone on the couch.
  • TaylorsGranddad
    TaylorsGranddad Posts: 453 Member
    I just think that if people do think any thing then they are thinking - they wish they were me. You know doing something positive and proactive about my fitness. (Not thinking anything negative).

    That has helped me to feel less intimidated by running.

    Also when I see people running I always think - good for them. Keep going!!

    Me too!
    I tend to shout "you've got this!" and other words of encouragement (if I'm outside, etc) because somebody did it to me once - and I'll never forget it!

    OP: Most people are envious - and I had to finally get into the IDGAF thought process! :)


    LOL took me about 5 mins to work out what IDGAF meant..... but great thought process! I might get IDGAF as a tattoo ;0)
  • MaryDreamer
    MaryDreamer Posts: 439
    I just wear sunglasses and earbuds while I listen to music. Helps me not to think about anyone else!
  • char982
    char982 Posts: 21
    I had a serious confidence issue with running in public. Honestly though, people don't seem to judge. If they do, that's their problem. Because hey, you're out there doing it, and most people don't! As I read in another reply, when I see someone running, I'm thinking "good for them," regardless of their size. Actually, I especially think "good for him/her" if it is a larger person because I know from experience the courage that it takes to get out there and do that.

    As for feeling like you're not going fast enough or looking beat, no one knows how far you've come! Maybe you're slow and look like hell because you're on mile 8 and going for 10! LoL They don't know you!

    But for the most part, it's all in our heads. Most people see a runner and don't give it any though.
  • SabrinaG1986
    SabrinaG1986 Posts: 135 Member
    Honestly, do you pay any attention to people who are running down the street? Most people probably won't notice. What's more of a confidence issue, being judged for fat all the time or being judge for an hour while you run lol.

    But thats easy for me to say, I run on my treadmill because I to feel like a weirdo running in public lol.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    "It's all about mind over matter. Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter." In other words, so what if other people judge you when you're running. Most likely, they don't know you so what they think in this case shouldn't have any bearing on your life. All that matters is that YOU know you're doing the right thing for the sake of your health. When I was running in the park a few weeks ago, I actually heard some skinny little teenaged cheerleader having a good giggle with her boyfriend over the "...fat slob (me) trying to run. Who does she think she's kidding?" When I first heard it, I wanted to run straight to my car and have a good cry. Then I remembered where I was a year ago. I could barely walk twenty feet without huffing and puffing...now I was running nearly a third of a mile at a time without stopping. I was not going to let someone else's bad attitude stop me from doing something that was clearly working for me. Most of the time people won't even notice you, but I'm not gonna lie, there ARE a FEW who will judge you and poke fun. But how much do they really matter in the grand scheme? Don't let them take away your happiness. Make them eat their words. Prove them wrong. If you give up, you're only proving them right. Don't let the biggoted opinions of a select few keep you from achieving your goals.
  • hjg4hope
    hjg4hope Posts: 8 Member
    So when I started running/ walking it was thru a upscale housing area, it is just up the hill from where I live. And I shortly realized that the fire crew ran here too. I was mortified, I was far from adorable at 215 red faced and panting. But I keep it up, because it was working, and I ran into the fire crew( who I was sure was judging me) once in a great while. Months went by, and the fire captin stopped me in the groceries store one day( small town, gotta love it). To tell me what a great job I'm doing.

    Moral of the story, most the time we are the only ones judging ourselfs, most people want to see others succeed. Don't worry so much. Go run have fun, it works!

    This is a great story and living in a small town myself, this really applied to my fears.
    I will try a "run" tomorrow morning at 5:30 - thanks for sharing! ... "run" in quotes as what I do may be more of a shuffle-hop :smile:
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    I too had this fear - still I decided that I wanted to run so started and it was very comical to start with .... I would run in not so busy areas, and when I would hear a car, I would suddenly slow down to a walk looking into the fields or houses I walked by and as soon as the car was gone :embarassed: , I would start to run again. I did this for months and tried to run at times it wasn't busy - anyway, eventually, I just stopped caring.

    I now run as and when I want. I still wouldn't class myself as a runner as it is a slow jog but nevertheless, I did my first 10k at the beginning of this month and was very proud. So please just persevere you will get out there and stop caring, even if it does take a little bit of time.

    Good luck with your running :flowerforyou:

    lol I promise you I am not being patronising, but that is quite cute actually - slowing down to a walk and looking into fields or houses until the car had gone by :flowerforyou:

    Actually, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who used to do this. LOL :laugh:
  • wisebadger53
    wisebadger53 Posts: 382 Member
    <
    I had the same feeling at first, but all I experienced was people cheering me on! Go for it!
  • HappyathomeMN
    HappyathomeMN Posts: 498 Member
    Everytime I see a runner, especially a woman, I shout (ok, sometimes in my head) YOU GO GIRL!! I also give them a high five, even if it's only a mental one.
  • blynn2708
    blynn2708 Posts: 262 Member
    I've recently just started running outside, I felt the same as you do! I was so scared that everyone would laugh and point at me jiggling all over...but then I figured that well atleast I got my *kitten* off the couch and am doing something! I had myself so scared, and it really wasn't that bad, I had myself all worked over nothing:bigsmile: I got out and ran and let me tell you it felt wonderful! I felt like a"runner", I am a runner! And I saw my shadow, and I looked like runner too! As cheesy as that sounds it's the truth...my shadow is my running partner! :laugh: It's an awesome feeling! Get out there and do it, have fun:flowerforyou:
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Everyone I know that sees an overweight person slowly moving down the sidewalk (i live in brooklyn, we pedestrians are speed walkers and do NOT like being behind the slow eat-while-i-walk jerks) rolls their eyes nd gets vehemently frustrated and some of them even get mean and rude and push them out of the way.

    Everyone I know that sees an overweight person jogging (even 4 mph jogging) is either

    a: impressed
    b: glad for them
    c: inspired
    d: feels guilty and decides to drop their excuses and go to the gym
    e: oblivious cause they were only in their peripheral vsion for 9 seconds
    f: giving them a smile and a thumbs up

    Do NOT be embarassed or self-conscious about running in public - whether its the sidewalk or the treadmill.

    Cause its a beautiful thing, not an awkward, ungainly, ridiculous humiliating thing.

    Its a person owning their life and there is nothing more powerful.

    RUN!
  • blynn2708
    blynn2708 Posts: 262 Member
    Everyone I know that sees an overweight person slowly moving down the sidewalk (i live in brooklyn, we pedestrians are speed walkers and do NOT like being behind the slow eat-while-i-walk jerks) rolls their eyes nd gets vehemently frustrated and some of them even get mean and rude and push them out of the way.

    Everyone I know that sees an overweight person jogging (even 4 mph jogging) is either

    a: impressed
    b: glad for them
    c: inspired
    d: feels guilty and decides to drop their excuses and go to the gym
    e: oblivious cause they were only in their peripheral vsion for 9 seconds
    f: giving them a smile and a thumbs up

    Do NOT be embarassed or self-conscious about running in public - whether its the sidewalk or the treadmill.

    Cause its a beautiful thing, not an awkward, ungainly, ridiculous humiliating thing.

    Its a person owning their life and there is nothing more powerful.

    RUN!

    I love that "It's a person owning their life and there is nothing more powerful" :flowerforyou:
  • spacecase76
    spacecase76 Posts: 673 Member
    Whenever I see a runner, I think "aww, good for them!" no matter what shape, size, gait, or speed they are going. I must say though, I usually check out their sneakers!

    ^ this

    No one is judging you. And, if it comes down to it, run in a neighborhood, or try to find some trails (in a park or wooded area)
  • sc9576
    sc9576 Posts: 47 Member
    I was too embarassed to go running and when I mentioned it to a friend it turns out she was too so now we try and go running together whenever the weather permits it - British weather sucks!:tongue:
  • apparatus195316
    apparatus195316 Posts: 79 Member
    (I once stopped running, looked at the person looking at me in the car - that had slowed down - and mouthed WHAT?! - they promptly flicked their head back to face the road - good.)

    HAHAHAHAHAHA! I LOVE this.

    I'm struggling with the same anxiety, here, and I haven't even started running yet! Day 1 is June 1st and my plan is to get up crazy-early (5am, most likely) and listen to loud music.
  • nvestli
    nvestli Posts: 38 Member
    Ok so an update to this GREAT thread - I have been reading through everyone's replies over the past week or so and am just back from my first outdoor run ALL BY MYSELF! '

    So dear OP - believe me when I say that when hardly anyone in the busiest park in town at lunchtime on a rare sunny day here in Oslo town noticed me and NO ONE said a word! The only thing I got at all in 37 mins of slow jogging was a couple of smiles and a ton of sweat!

    So GO FOR IT - I can't begin to tell you how great it felt to finally throw off the shackles and fear. Now I just have to make it a regular thing :wink:

    Good luck OP!