Maybe this is like teaching your Grandmother to suck eggs, but today I discovered something...there I was, plodding away,muttering to myself in my head " Gawd this is difficult, I'll never finish 5 minutes, why am I doing this it's no fun etc" when I caught sight of myself in a window reflection, head down, shoulders hunched, face set in a grimace...I straightened up, and immediately noticed the change in my attitude..." This is great! I CAN do it! nearly finished today's session already? Aww shame!"
I'm glad you posted this cos I've noticed it too. But it took me quite a few months to get a handle on it. For me it's the two pronged approach that works best:
1) Hold my body upright and relax my shoulders arms and hands in particular. Avoid making fists but have my thumb and fingers closing gently (almost like I am holding a bit of paper).
2) Stay in the moment and focus on the positives e.g. 'that's a nice poppy flowering there; the sun is warm and I'm enjoying the heat - makes a change; my breathing is laboured so I'll slow a bit' etc
If I get into 'this is hard, I'm really struggling and I have 15 minutes left' kind of thoughts then my run is miserable. So it's a physical challenge but also a big element is getting my mind set right
It's a brilliant discovery! I often have to remind myself to relax and to hold myself to straighten up a bit! It makes a big difference! I used to get pins and needles in my fingers/hands when I first started!
Sound advice! I do this really weird thing with my hands, completely straight like arrows - I don't know why but it feels comfortable to me. Keep enjoying the new stance and attitude!
Good advice. It's important to try and run relaxed. It's something I manage most of the time but I do need to continually remind myself as I'm running.
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Does anyone get head slog?!!!😏
In my head
It's all in the head
Head torch
What stops you? Legs, lungs or head?
