What sort of runner are you?

[FitHamster]

You can classify runners into two types: Associators and Dissociators. Associators find it most helpful and motivating to concentrate on their bodies and on actual running while they run -  they say to themselves things like "Are my legs tired?" , "Do I need to pick up my knees more?", "Is my breathing laboured?", "I need to keep my head up" . Dissociators think about anything other than the run they are doing while they are doing it, so might think about loved ones, holidays, the surroundings, their running companions.

Identifying which type of runner you are can be key to making your runs easier for you. To some extent, you can plan what you're going to think about during your next run, especially if you've set yourself a challenging target.

Running is a mental activity not just a physical one!

[secan Graduate]

As for many other things in life, I do not think real people can fit into one category and most of us are somewhere in the spectrum between the two extremes.

Furthermore things can change from a run to the other or even within the very same run. For example, when I ran my first 10k at the beginning of the week, my attention gradually shifted from the surrounding to my body in order to push through the last couple of kilometres.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to secan]

Think you could be right...even though I spend so much time looking at things and absorbing. i still have the concentration moments on what my old bod is doing!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

I think I am as secan   says.. a bit of both...which makes me an Assdissociator.. which sounds a tad strange

I think most of us wholeheartedly agree,, this is all about mental as well as physical attitude...loads of posts on this

But very interesting anyway.. thanks!

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

I range across the two. At the start I think about what my body is doing, aches and pains, breathing etc. Then once I've settled down I soak up my surroundings and let my thoughts drift. 

[Mysticalmaid Graduate]

I do remind myself to keep my head up, especially when tired, and concentrate more on keeping my legs moving when they're tired too, I like to use my arm swings to keep my legs going at the right pace haha.  My arms aren't tired after all XD  

Sometimes I switch off and just think about other stuff, but mostly I'm working too hard to do that and need to keep motivating myself.  Not long now, nearly there, you can do it, last hill!