'Who needs to think when your feet just go?'

[Peterjjjjjjjj]

I heard Tina Weymouth singing this as I reached 5K this morning (it's from 'Genius of Love' by the Tom Tom Club). Tina is singing about dancing but I thought it just fitted my mood this morning. Much easier to keep running if I stop worrying about it and just let my legs/feet go where they need to.

[useitorloseit Graduate]

Hear hear. People often say they work things out in their heads when they're running, but I can never remember thinking anything when I run. I think it's the only time my head empties. (It certainly doesn't at night when it's supposed to!).

[pollyp1 Graduate in reply to useitorloseit]

My head empties when I run too, but I think sometimes (for me, anyway) thinks get worked out because I'm not paying attention and they can come to their own conclusion!

[Peterjjjjjjjj Graduate in reply to pollyp1]

Sometimes things solve themselves wehn you're not paying attention to them! The thing that occurred to me though was that my mind often puts blocks in the way of doing things. For me it's often not about making an effort to do things but more about letting myself do them. It struck me that when I am running, my body really wants to do it but my mind keeps finding reasons not to.

[pollyp1 Graduate in reply to Peterjjjjjjjj]

Listen to your body, not your head! And, yep, I know it's easier said than done. The first step is not getting into a dialogue with the reasons not to. I literally go 'la, la, la, la, not listening...' (I've been known to do it aloud when no-one's around!!) mfamilias has written some brilliant posts about this - she calls her negative voice (or gremlin) Gary. Good luck - it's a toughie but practice really does help.

[Peterjjjjjjjj Graduate in reply to pollyp1]

You're right of course. And thanks for the mfamilias link - very funny and very wise.

[SlowWorm2016 Graduate]

I find more than half the battle us psychological so lack of thinking is a definite plus!

[mfamilias Graduate]

I agree - I don't recommend thinking about what your fet are doing at all. One I concentrated on trying to work out what limb was in synchrony with what other limb, and my feet promptly got confused and threatened to trip me up. Never again. Now I'm off to find your choon.