Head up!

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!"

Just hoped it might help...

[lizziebeth57 Graduate]

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

[PandaRunner Graduate]

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!

[the_tea_fairy Graduate]

Yep, me too with this. And smiling is magic.

[teabreaks Graduate]

This is great advice!

[PoorWanderingOne]

Excellent advice. I also find myself listing to the right at the waist, odd.

Still once I notice and crank myself upright and relax my shoulders things get much easier.

[grannyjudes Graduate]

so true, I must remember in the morning !!

[carole01 Graduate]

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!

[paul2014 Graduate]

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.

[Vixchile Graduate]

Agreed running relaxed is much better but need to remind myself to do this

[Bizzybeeeee Graduate]

This is an excellent post, i will try to remember this on my next run tonight!