Does anyone get head slog?!!!😏

[Blueintheface]

Am starting week 9 tomorrow! Still finding it hard to keep my head in the run. I start and two mins in I want to stop, not because I am tired but rather because my head doesn’t want to do it. So I am amazed when I see I have done the 28mins in the end!! Every time at the 2 or 5 min mark I think I will stop!!! My pace is still slow at around 4.3km including the warmups but that will improve over time. But the head?!! Every time?!!! Does anyone else have head slog? 😏

[sofiaO Graduate]

Totally, I find the longer you go the better it gets, and good music helps too, but my brain is still mostly resistant

[Blueintheface in reply to sofiaO]

Good to hear although I was also hoping it would go away!! I thought I was supposed to get addicted to a running high!!! Perhaps when I run faster?!! It’s definitely easier running for longer I agree.

[sofiaO Graduate in reply to Blueintheface]

I get the high when I've finished! Then can't wait to run again. Until I start and the mind games start over! Annoying brain!

[Blueintheface in reply to sofiaO]

I am the exact same!!!

[sofiaO Graduate in reply to Blueintheface]

It's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster this running lark, but all good fun!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Apart from those runners who’ve run since early childhood, most runners find there’s a phenomenon known out there as either the “fatal five” or the “toxic 10” where the voices in your head are likely to want you to stop... it’s the toughest part of the run, and it’s because it takes your body going into oxygen deficit to realise what’s going on and start work on supplying more oxygen to the muscles. It sounds to me that you may be experiencing this... in which case be happy when it’s only two minutes! Once the oxygen delivery is on track it gets easier.

[Shelley2310 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Does that mean blueintheface has the ‘terrible twos’? 🤣

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Shelley2310]

😂😂😂

[Blueintheface in reply to Shelley2310]

Terrible 42s.

[Blueintheface in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Jeez the fatal five! That’s me so! Thanks unfitnomore! So as long as I can through that period it should go away..,

[Nightingale66 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

That’s really good to hear, and explains a lot! I promise my brain that if we get to the halfway point I’ll review the situation, then of course when we get there I say ‘might as well finish, else the first half will be wasted.’ 🤣

[Agentmay Graduate]

I'm so glad it's not just me. I'm all up and motivated until I've been running for a few minutes and then it's like, ok we've done it let's go have a cuppa cos I'm fed up now. I feel great at the end of the run when I'm cooling down and so thrilled that I've done it. Trying different playlists now to see if that helps.

[Klame]

Totally get that and I’m only at week 6 but thinking of going back a week as running continuously is so hard mentally.

How do you know your speed?? I’m shuffling rather than running so knowing my speed would interest me

[Knittingrunner in reply to Klame]

I use Strava on my phone and or my Fitbit. Both track the run and give you a pace.

[Belushi Graduate in reply to Klame]

I use the run keeper app on my phone, it seems to work pretty well for me

[Runtan]

I find that in the same way your brain can sabotage your run it is also really easy to trick. When I feel I really want to stop I tell myself I only need to run to a certain place fairly nearby. When I get there I set myself another short distance. I end up going much further. I fall for my own tricks every time!

[PJRunner Graduate]

Totally agree. We need to beat our brains. I tell myself one more minute and then another... and another.........

[Crikey47 Graduate]

Oooh yes, nearly always. Throughout the run I'm constantly having to tell myself I can do it and not to give up. There's a constant internal dialogue for and against practically to the end!! But the feeling is so good when I finish, the pro side always wins, thankfully! 😂

[vab71]

Yep! I find that first five minutes the hardest. Once I'm past 5 mins it does seem easier - but those first five are hard work and I could quite happily stop and meander my way back home!! No

[suziefb Graduate]

I thought that was just me! Mine is at about 5 and if I am running with my husband he gets all sorts of grumbly "what am I doing, I can't run 30 minutes like this etc etc". Especially when Laura says that I have done five and not to go so fast so EARLY in the run! I literally want to stop right there ha ha! But then after half way I am comfortable (ish!) and happy!

So good to hear its actually a thing.....will keep tricking my brain to keep going as its such a good feeling after I have finished. I am on week 9 run 2 tomorrow now so graduation is in sight for both of us!

Thanks for the post Blueintheface and all the replies everyone and happy running (with the odd grumpy 2 minute bits)

[Blueintheface in reply to suziefb]

Am totally the same! Good luck with the last few!! Conquer the head slog!

[mickj]

Hi Blueintheface,

Yes I get it every time and just like you I always finish the run. Iv just done week 9 day 1 wanted to stop after 5 mins but ended up running 35 mins 5.1k

[Blueintheface in reply to mickj]

Good for you. That’s a great pace.

[Blueintheface]

Brilliant. I feel loads better now that it’s a thing and it’s not just me and my weak brain. Thanks everyone for their posts. I will beat the fatal fives if it’s the last thing I do (which it might well be!)🦸🏼‍♀️🦸🏼‍♀️

[ICLDN Graduate]

I can totally relate! My body feels OK so it's not physical exhaustion it's my head willing me to stop. In week 7 at the moment so doing 25 min runs and my current trick is telling my brain that I need to run through about 7 songs, then when each song ends it feels like a little milestone. Usually Jo kicks in midway through the final song too so it ends a little earlier than I've told myself it will. Not sure how long the trick will work but it's making it much more manageable, especially as I'm in the gym on a treadmill so no visual milestones for me!

[Blueintheface in reply to ICLDN]

That’s a great trick. In my outside runs I will try that!

[DiverIzzie Graduate in reply to ICLDN]

Yep - I do it by number of tracks “left”... I hit the brain barrier consistently at 6 minutes in so I’ve got my playlist set to play through Elvia Costello’s Oliver’s Army followed by Blondie’s Atomic which takes me beyond 10 mins and then I’m fine for the next 20 mins...

[Mikemuttiah Graduate]

Absolutely. The first KM in I always want to stop. When you go through it, you realise it's more psychological than anything. I feel because I have not run more than a km in years! So makes sense my brain telling me to stop.

Also just make sure you are setting a good pace, not too fast or slow. I use my Fitbit to track my KM pace

[Jell6 Graduate]

What I have recently discovered is that if I really concentrate on slowing down for the first couple of kms, that " I'm stopping now" gremlin doesn't appear as often, in fact not at all for the last 4 runs👺.😊

[Hidden]

I think the head controls our walking and running, just as the brain controls all our limbs

[me2019 Graduate]

You could try telling your mind 'it's ok my friend, I got this. You're in good hands'. Your mind is trying to protect you from something in case you don't do it and become upset. So, rather than criticising your protective mind, reassure it that you've got its back. All is ok. Well done too!!

[Blueintheface in reply to me2019]

Nice way of looking at it. I tend to be over critical of myself at the best of times so maybe a life lesson to reassure my brain more! Thanks

[me2019 Graduate]

Btw - most if not all people to some degree have head slog (fluency). When I started all sorts of things were going through my mind. Yet, I changed my approach and my head began telling me 'keep going you've got this'. I repeated the first two weeks and I also slowed my pace. I removed all imaginary competition. I was doing this for me. This weekend I'm running W9 R2 and have passed 5km in my runs. Yet I needed to go much slower in the beginning to build motion memory and endurance. Well done!

[Granspeed Graduate]

Thanks for this post. It clearly touched a nerve for lots of us, and reading through the responses should be helpful for anyone else suffering from head slog! 😄 I’m now delighted that I only get the Fatal Five and even that is diminishing as I learn how it all works for me. 👏🏼

[Greywind Graduate]

This has been so helpful for me..thanks everyone for your tips.

Running week5 R2 tomorrow so I'll take them onboard and trick my brain !!

[Blueintheface in reply to Greywind]

Or as me2019 says, tell your brain not to worry, that we got this!

[Leglesssparrow Graduate]

I’m the same, always complete the run but spend most of the run thinking about stopping even though not because of tired etc. I tried a bit of military cadence today so I can just switch my brain off and just run to the rhythm. I’m W9 R3 on Sunday so will try it again then

[Blueintheface in reply to Leglesssparrow]

Me too! Am w9r1 tomorrow so will note when exactly the fatal five comes in and tell it to push off!

[Katiepops Graduate]

I used to have toxic 10, but as time has gone on it has become fatal 5. Must be because my body is more used to the metabolic switch. But I think the head thing is somehow different. I find I’m really looking forward to a run, set off and after about a hundred yards could cheerfully take up table tennis instead! Persevere and after a couple of minutes all is well! Odd isn’t it. Running I mean. 😂

[Jonno34 Graduate]

I find the first 5 the worst. I have not failed a run apart from when I had to pull up with injury. I have however given up on 2 occasions. It was at the gym where I do most of my running both times in the first few mins. I went to the changing room and gave myself a bit of a talking to and went back and did it. I think having something to listen to helps. Podcasts are good (Try My dad wrote a porno it really is the funniest thing ever and very popular) radio stations and of course music. I am in my 50s so would not dare to suggest anything musically!