The mental battle with myself about today’s run began 2 days ago. I had to put my long run off last week due to my niggling (very longstanding) lower back pain. It seems, on reflection, that any change to my planned runs knocks me mentally and I could easily slip into not running. Anyway, I digress! So, Hubbie woke me with a brew at 6am so I could get up and run before the heat. I took an hour to shift out of bed, and this amazing forum gave me the much needed motivation.
Reluctantly set foot out of the door and began. Within minutes feeling really glad I’d got up and glad to be alive. Positively gazelle like was I in my bounding stride. Cheery “good mornings” shouted to all I come across. On I plodded, feeling pleased and positive. After about 20 minutes, still feeling strong and good, I saw another runner on the road I was joining. I followed. She was strong and fast and soon disappeared into the distance, ponytail swinging. Suddenly I felt clumsy, cumbersome, slow and rubbish. Cue ten minute mental argument with self as I plodded along now feeling hippopotamus like. Suddenly realised that I felt ok again and gazelle woman was forgotten and hippopotamus shed and I was trotting comfortably along to complete my 5 mile run.
It is a strange mental thing running. The mind meanders, plays tricks, taunts and the battle is to ignore the negative and have belief. I think that’s the buzz for me at the end.
Anyway, during my hippo phase I was musing over all of this and I think that’s why the negative feeling passed! So, thanks for once again giving me focus and getting me out of bed and through my run. Apologies for the ramble. Have a good day all. 😀
Written by
madmother
Graduate10
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It’s your run. Remember that there will always be someone faster and someone slower than you, so it’s really not helpful to compare yourself with anyone except yourself.
Running at your pace is the best thing about it. It needs to be fun, and not even always hard work. It’s why I run 99% of my runs like an uber snail. Everyone passes me, but I don’t care.
You ran, you felt great for the majority of it. The part where you didn’t involved someone else. Ignore them! You’re a fabulous runner! 👍💪👊🏃♀️
Don't worry about other runners, at 62 most other runners seem 'gazelle like' to me Having said that though, I was over taken by two very gazelle like younger ladies the other week, about 1k further ahead I passed them both sitting down on the grass looking exhausted, hare and tortoise came to mind
Hi orangeguy I'm 62 too and yes lots of people run past me. I started couch to 5k earlier on in the year and still follow run 9. Only in the last few weeks I've managed to also run the walk warm ups to. Thing is every run I do I feel I can't do this and it's too hard for me. What am I doing at my age? But I do it and feel proudxxx
I'm 62 as well. Last year, when I ran my first 5k, I was overtaken by a power walker. This year, same race in blistering heat, I started to fade at 4k, when I heard another participant say to her friend "C'mon, its mind over matter". That spurred me to the finish.
This year, I've also led a new C25K group, and they all think I'm fast 😂. Its all relative!
Well done you on your 5mile run you should never compare yourself to other runners your a fantastic runner and never try and keep up with other runners been there done that will never do it again just go at your pace and the only person you should be keeping up with is yourself happy running 😉
A lot of my runs, and particularly my long runs, start with the "Not really in the mood but let's see how far I get" thought. Once I get past the toxic 10 and settle into my stride, things just go from there. I've developed a "so long as I do run, it doesn't matter how far" attitude to it which seems to work pretty well given that this month I'm probably going to break the 100k cumulative mark.
My "style" is best described as a lollop; not quite a hippo, but definitely nothing like a gazelle, but it gets me there, so that's all that counts.
I've said before, the bits of me assigned to the task of running are my feet and legs. They seem to know what they're doing without any "assistance" from my mind, so it should just keep its opinions to itself.
Well done on getting out there; that is often the hardest part of it.
It's really hard to let go of the "why can't I be like that" but it's always good remind yourself of all you've done so far and all that's good in your life. I wouldn't swap mine for anybody's, not even to lose the bad stuff. It's all mine and I own it, hippo days n all! 👍🏻🤣
Well done for your 5 mile run Madmother👌 that has happened to me too!😀...
You are right, we need to keep hold of our inner gazelle, that feel good factor and don't worry about what others are doing. We are out there and should be proud of ourselves. We became achievers the moment we left the couch.😊xx
Awe I love all of these comments. So much love and respect and just acceptance. 🥰 I read your post and spent most of it smiling and nodding in recognition of feeling exactly the same as you. I'm the worlds worst for seeing the swingy haired gazelles fly past me and suddenly I feel I'm plodding! But as everyone has said we shouldn't compare. Or worry. And I love the idea of owning our lives. I started running to keep me calm in a very difficult time and it did exactly that. Yes I lost weight and got fitter too but mostly running keeps my demons at bay. So whilst I may feel like an elephant plodding some days! At the end I always feel happier and so do you. Hold onto that. 😊 x
Thanks for sharing this post and your honesty. Our minds do sometimes get the best of us and I’m not sure that ever fully goes away no matter who you are, since as we progress there are always others much further along. I have sometimes felt this way when the younger runners go buzzing by. But it’s all good. Its their opportunity to do this just like it is mine. Every so often I look up and just say thank you for being given this chance, maybe later than I would have liked but better late than never, right?
I share your feelings pretty much every other run. Two things from me
1. Hippos can run 30km/h. I aspire to be more hippo like
2. I just picked up a second hand copy of “Your Pace Or Mine”. Haven’t stared yet, but looking forward to reading about the joys of doing your own thing and not watching the clock
Meandering minds 😊 Funny where our thoughts take us. But, you are a runner therefore an inspiration. That’s the real gazelle or giselle I always get them mixed up ...
Hahaha, sounds like my runs madmother ...I have a mental battle with myself.everytime I step out of the door, sometimes I get to 400m and stop because I feel useless...and these feelings have gone on for a while now, but I still go out, I'm still here after 2 and a bit years, I dont really know how to get over the mental battle because I dont think of anything else except for how much I'm not really enjoying this or cut out for it...how tired I am, how I'm not really young anymore so shouldn't be doing this, but then I come.on here and there are people with 20+ years on me and they're the ones that inspire me to keep going...I was out walking with the dog last night and a bloke ran passed me, he wasnt breathless or anything, infact he was springing along but he got about 20m infront of me and stopped to walk, so he mustve been having a mental battle too, well that's what I told myself..I'm sure it happens to most people but the fact that we still go out proves that theres something about running that we do like...the school holidays have buggered up my running routine so the only thing I'm looking forward to when the kids go back is getting my routine back, I hate the kids.going back, when I'm back running properly, 3 times a week again I will feel like a proper runner again...dont worry about mental battles...you've inspired me to get my clobber on and go for a run later xxx you're a runner and that's amazing xxx
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Having said that though, I was over taken by two very gazelle like younger ladies the other week, about 1k further ahead I passed them both sitting down on the grass looking exhausted, hare and tortoise came to mind 
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