Tonights Psychological Battle

[AndrewFoot84]

So having had an enforced week long break from running, I am heading out again this evening and will be attempting W8 R3; but I need some advice before I do.

My usual route at the moment involves a 5 minute warm up walk in to the woods behind my house, then some gentle downhill at the start of my run to the road behind my house. I then go round that cul de sac, back up to the top of the hill where I start, and then another two laps (so three in total) before heading the other way in to the centre of the town where I live to finish the run. That's all fine and I've done those 3 laps since I first managed a 20 minute run, with a bit more being added to the end to take it to 25 and then 28 minutes.

However, the past couple of times I've attempted this run I have only managed one trip round the cul de sac and then the thought of going back up the short hill to where I started seems too much and I instead head down the hill in to town. While this is fine and I have completed the time, I find myself running round a bit lost in town, trying to keep finding somewhere and someway to keep going until my time is up. I have still completed the time needed for that run so in a way it's fine, but it just means that instead of enjoying my planned run I feel like I'm floundering around and not enjoying it as much as I could.

So my question to you all is - when I tonight get to the end of the first lap round the cul de sac, and then the second lap, how do I fight that part of me that says 'that way is up hill, go down the hill to town', and force myself back up a hill I know I am perfectly capable of doing? I know you may say to just do what I feel I want to do at the time, but it's become one of those little psychological battles I really want to win tonight.

[Kirst13 Graduate]

I used to (and occasionally still do) turn and run downhill a little to catch my breath and then face the hill again. Giving myself permission to turn downhill helped me face the hill. It normally doesn't need that much downhill and I get a bit further up with each turn.

[AndrewFoot84 Graduate in reply to Kirst13]

Maybe that is what I need, just a small bit of downhill. There is a small area where I could go down a gentle hill to catch my breath before heading back up, and that might just give me that little boost to push me back up. I'll keep that in mind tonight, thanks.

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Can you find a route that dosent involve 3 times round the same area ?I have a convenient route from my house that is 5k, it covers a couple of hills .

Now that's fine if I go round once !

However , if I do a 10K, I often think I don't want to go around again , in fact I did it on a 14k once so nearly 3 times around and I find that a real mental battle.

Also having a few more routes now as you progress would be useful to keep it fresh and not getting bored

[AndrewFoot84 Graduate]

My issue was that the town I live in is basically a valley, with my road on the top one side, and the town is down in the bottom. I was struggling to find an out and back route that didn't include some long/steep climbs and with me still needing to improve my fitness a lot I just don't feel ready to tackle those quite yet.

By doing the laps at the start of the run I could then go down hill to town, along the flat there and then walk back up the hill back home as my cool down. However, having spent a bit of time looking at options over the weekend I have found a fairly flat route which doesn't involve any laps and is a change of scenary from the usual.

I wasn't able to go out over the weekend but am planning on getting the running shoes on tonight and seeing how that route goes. Hopefully the change will be good and get me over the Week 8, Run 3 wall I seem to have hit.