W7 R1: Gremlins all over the place

[PippiRuns]

Just returned from my first really unpleasant run. Quite annoying considering I was proudly pronounced a proper runner only two days ago.

But these 25 minutes went on forever and ever, and I almost gave up after the first 15 minutes. It was only because I remembered the gremlin ID checklist that  agedsnailspace came up with last week (I'll repeat it for those of you who missed it), that I made it:

1) Do your feet hurt so badly you can't put them on the floor?

2) Do your legs hurt so badly you can't take another step?

3) Is you heart beating so fast it's about to exit through your chest?

4) Are you about to pass out from lack of oxygen as you can't breathe?

If none of 1-4 is making you absolutely have to stop, then it can only be the gremlins in your head and you should never trust the gremlins.

Thank you agedsnailspace. Your checklist worked. I kept running, and now I am so happy that I did - even if I must have really looked like a drowning snail the last 10 minutes (rain's pouring here in Copenhagen)!

I feel a lot less confident now. And for the first time in this programme I don't look forward to my next run.

[jt24 Graduate]

That's what the gremlins want! 

Start arming yourself against them now before the next run and it's sure to be better

You know they're sneaky and you also know their voices can soon be quietened by the checklist and your sheer determination

Good luck

[PippiRuns in reply to jt24]

Building up my gremlin armour!

[Slowstart Graduate]

As Hidden  would say, "chuck it in the f*** it bucket. 

I found week 7 really hard, but then sailed through weeks 8 & 9. Dig deep and get this week out the way.

[PippiRuns in reply to Slowstart]

I really, really hope the same will happen here!

[PippiRuns in reply to Slowstart]

That phrase could come in handy in many areas of life, not just in relation to running...

[Hidden in reply to PippiRuns]

Fame at last :o)

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

The drowned snail look is so good! I think it is the in thing for this year,, here in the UK at least!

Well done... ignore those gremlins.. they really dislike that... forget lack of confidence. Steady and slow!

Stop worrying about what can go wrong... and just get excited about what is going to go right!!!!

[PippiRuns in reply to Oldfloss]

Yes! I'll definitely focus on the fact that the snail totally beat the gremlins. They were defeated. Big time.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to PippiRuns]

Go you....

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Look at it this way... most of us have to have one **** run as part of the programme, it is part of the learning experience, and now you've ticked that one off. Well done!

[PippiRuns in reply to GoogleMe]

If it's just this one, I'll manage

[Celtprof Graduate]

Well done for pushing through- I vividly remember a run around week 6 feeling very tough but it certainly taught me more than all the easier runs did! 

[secan Graduate]

In the sentence "I almost gave up after the first 15 minutes", the keyword is "almost". 😉

You have no reason to feel less confident. In fact it is quite the opposite; you demonstrated you can beat the gremlins and get to the end of an unpleasant run. If you think about it, you should feel *more* confident after this experience.

[PippiRuns in reply to secan]

Thank you! That is spot-on. You're right.

[agedsnailspace Graduate]

You are doing yourself a dis-service!  The gremlins attacked but you overcame them.  Well done you!!  I don't think you appreciate quite how big this is.  This shows you are building the mental strength you need to go alongside the physical strength you have built up over the last 6 weeks.  Keep it up.  The gremlins will be back - the first 5 minutes stay tough for quite a while, but stick with it.  You've beaten them once, the more you overcome them, the quicker they will be finally defeated.

[PippiRuns in reply to agedsnailspace]

You're right, I absolutely didn't appreciate it before reading all the wonderful comments in this forum. But it is beginning to dawn on me now. Of course getting through a tough run is a sign of mental strength and I should feel more confident than before. I'll get there before my next run tomorrow.