Running Tips, Lesson 5: Psychology of running -> lie.

I think that I am going to stop linking to all the past lessons 'cause I'm getting tired of it.

Okay, here's the big secret that you don't find out in any mags or tv shows or anything: hardcore runners have bad runs. They have times when they come back and they say to themselves "that was shitty". There are time when they are out running and they go "I don't want to be here, I must be nuts". So when you're out there and telling yourself that, 1) you're not alone, 2) no one that you're running with really wants to hear it. If you keep on thinking that you can't run any farther, you won't. You have to lie to yourself for a bit, at least until the endorphins kick in. And that time depends on the person. For me, it takes about 10 minutes before I start to enjoy the run. Other's (almost retirement age people), it's up to 20-25 minutes. Oh, and don't think that you can only run if you are young and fit. I'm one of the few regular runners at work that doesn't have gray hair. And people who look like couch potatoes? They can kick your ass out on a run. Don't judge people by their body type unless you want to be humbled.

And that brings myself to another point: after a point, the run gets better. You enjoy it. But the first bit is usually crappy. Most people run for the crappy part and then quit saying they can't do anymore. Keep going! For me, if I run 20 minutes, I enjoy only 50 % of the run. If I run for 30 minutes, I enjoy 66 %. Run for an hour? You can do the math.

And expect that you'll have good days and bad. It happens. Just pretend that it's going well; that you *like* hills; that the gale force wind blowing in your face is just filling your lungs and going to push you home on your way back. Think positively and it will be so.

One trick is to keep a journal of your runs. In it put the weather (temp, wind, sunny / cloudy, humidity, ...), your times (running, stops, walking), your goal before you went out, and how you felt. Some days when you think that you did really badly and feel like crap, you actually can end up doing better than you did on another day. This also helps to motivate yourself by showing how much you improved. It's very helpful. But you have to wear a watch to mark the times. ;-)

When I am out for a long run, I need to keep myself focused only on the present. I just focus on running the next short distance. And then the next. Etc etc etc... I don't focus on any specific goal (like a sign post), because I speed up to get there (horse racing when it sees the barn door), and then burn out. The woman that I run with, her trick is to "just run her 5 km". And when she's done 5 km, she's "just starting her 5 km", etc. That works for her, but not me. You have to find the lie to tell yourself that works for you.

Another one is to keep pace behind someone and imagine that there is a string tied from them to you, and they are "pulling you along" (it might not be a good idea for a guy alone to do this to a woman, the woman will creep out). Or, there's a goal like a set of stairs with a cord pulling you in... so you're not in control of your pace, but it's something external to you.

When I get near the end of my run one thing that works for me is to imagine someone waiting at the end for me, cheering me on. Of course you have to pick someone that you would want to show off for, but that's just motivation. Whatever turns your crank. ;-)

In the end, you just have to figure out what works for you. Lying to myself works for me, but you have to pick the "right" lies.

Listening to: Great Big Sea - My Apology