Losing momentum

[RavenGirl458]

Hey all, I just completed Week 7 Run 3 this morning and it's beginning to feel a little like a chore.

Part of it is having to get up at 5 now term has started again and work means my body is struggling. I have a foam roller to try and tackle the soreness but came here to reach for some motivation!

I don't want to stop, particularly as I'm so close. I tried a new route this morning to shake it up. Any other ideas to keep me going as the days get darker and my work keeps me busy?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Well done.

I remember times in the last few weeks when I felt just as you do and it was mainly attributable to the psychological adjustments required to keep working hard for those longer durations.

The answer, in my opinion, is to create distractions, so that you are not thinking about running. I used to do a running commentary of everything I could see, feel and hear as I ran, in full and florid sentences. Others find podcasts, audio books or speech radio a good distraction.

Stick with it. The benefits are vast and wonderful and very soon you will look back at this blip and dismiss it as just that.

You can do this.

[Run123456 Graduate]

I switched to podcasts rather than music, I feel like I am learning while I run. Might this help shake things up for you?

Early starts are hard! My sympathies.

[Elfe5 Graduate]

Sympathy - after almost 40 years as a teacher, I know that term time feeling well - it’s hard to fit in running around the work gallop. 🙄

I made maximum use of my weekends- I ran on Friday straight after work & on Sunday, so I only had to fit in one mid week run which could be Tues or Wed - the mid week flexibility helped.

I also had a “back out within 5mins rule” and all my running gear together in one drawer so I could change & go on my return from work.

Alternatively, I had a colleague who brought her running gear to school, changed there and stopped the car & had a run part way home.

Good luck, a part of running is determined discipline, but SO worth it! 😀

[Jazzyrunner Graduate]

Those early starts must be tough! I love the idea of the running commentary of everything you see, hear, feel and taste 👌🏻 I think the later runs don’t mix it up so much, just a gradual increase in time, so it’s maybe less exciting and you don’t see those dramatic changes. Maybe spend some of your running time planning what your challenges might be after graduating? Best of luck, if you’ve got this far, I’m sure you can do it! 👏🏻🏃🏼‍♀️

[madmother Graduate]

I switched to podcasts for the longer runs and discovered desert island discs which I love and also re listened to Simon mayos “confessions” hilarious and just the right length. Time is a factor for us all especially as the daylight hours are limited. Keep up the good work, you’ve come so far and you can do it. Think of us all dragging ourselves out of bed for that before work run 🏃‍♀️

[RavenGirl458 Graduate]

Thank you all! I have been listening to podcasts but I think they are getting too similar so I'm going to look for some more!

Just about managed Week 8 Run 1 though stopped for seconds half way but I'm not feeling too well so I'll just try again on Friday. Was open evening last night so a long 12 hour day at work and I still managed to drag myself out of bed!

We did have a running club before we broke up for the summer so hopefully that will start up again next week and having someone with me may help motivation. It will be good because I could only do about a mile then and now I'm at about 3.5km!