So much of running is psychological 🤔 brain not legs....who knew?

[CredenceRainyDay]

Every time I run through this programme, I'm quieting my inner voice that tells me before the run: I'm too old, too unfit, 😅 got too many twinges, mustn't do too much ... despite all the facts I know to the contrary.... Well, voices truly hushed this evening. Ran an exhilarating 25 mins. in what started out as gentle Scottish "smur" and ended up as proper drenching rain. "Such fun" Will hopefully now know how to not entertain negative thoughts and trust in the programme. Helped hugely by W7 R1 being a re-run of 25 mins from last week. Was exactly what I needed psychologically, rather than an increase. Looking forward to repeat X2. 😊

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate]

🍏You are certainly tackling these runs the right way & chasing those silly gremlins into the ether!! Well done! You are SO right about much of running being mental as well as physical agility! These longer runs are fantastic as you really feel like a runner & you have time to get into a proper rhythm.. Enjoy them 😊

[CredenceRainyDay Graduate in reply to Annieapple]

Thanks for your encouragement #Annie apple 🍎

[Zaq12wsx]

I agree. This is for a lot of us, more mental than the physical. Or at least an even split.

By my own admission I’m an old fart, 52 and arthritis in knee/hip/hands. Formerly quite obese for the best part of my adulthood too. After I dropped the weight four years ago (still maintaining a healthy BMI) I tackled running. I was walking every day to aid the weight loss anyway so running seemed the logical progression.

I’ve suffered with a quite negative view of myself all my life and only now, three years after starting hooning around my local town do I almost class myself as a runner. I’m keeping a ni e steady 4k every other day before work and walking the same distance in between days.

I completed C25 two years running and repeated every run twice felt that improving the he muscle strength around my bad knee would help, and it certainly did

Oddly enough, my knee is more painful when I walk than run. No idea why.

Anyhoo, what a buzz I get! Feel amazing on run day for the entire day, wish it lasted longer 😔

I’ll keep doing this for as long as I can. One day I won’t be able to.

[CredenceRainyDay Graduate in reply to Zaq12wsx]

Great story Zaq12wsx. Same story with my knee and ankles 🤔 Loving running because whatever is going muscle wise they all hurt less when I'm running 🏃‍♀️ 🙃 😅

[John_W Graduate in reply to Zaq12wsx]

Very interesting and well done you.

That walking pain vs running can possibly be explained by the fact that for a given distance, because of greater contact time with the ground, walking places greater forces through the knee than running - although the type (speed) of running will be important.

[Cmoi Graduate]

Well done for defeating the negative thoughts CredenceRainyDay .

Our late friend Tim wrote a post on Mental attitude to running that you might find interesting, if you haven't already seen it: healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Happy running!

[CredenceRainyDay Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

Many thanks gor this. I also read Tim's bio. A very sad loss for his friends and family but so extremely inspirational. Such good advice on irrational fears. Puts them in perspective.

[John_W Graduate]

Well said and pointed out.

I make the same point to many C25K beginners who have doubts about mostly Week 4 and Week 5 (yes, THAT run) ... the message being that any progressive exercise program for couchers is designed to be *physically* doable - it's been designed so that you can come from the couch, start gently and then progress sensibly. Done properly (ie slowly), it then becomes a MENTAL test ... your body is always ready for the next run, but your brain not necessarily so.

Top tip: SWITCH. BRAIN. OFF.