I used to go jogging fairly regularly, never enjoyed it but loved the sense of achievement when I got home! Then had a couple of years with very little exercise so started C25K to get me going again.
My query is, how do I start to enjoy the run itself?! The ‘conversational pace’ still exhausts me, I can sustain it but there’s no way I could say anything more than “good morning” as I trundle past someone! If I go any slower I would be walking and I SO want to get to the point where the activity is enjoyable, as otherwise I fear I won’t keep going. Any tips would be gratefully received. Oh, am on Week 7 run 2 now.
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Xmrkn20
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Hi Xmrkn. Do you know, I was convinced for years that the conversational pace was either a myth, or I was just not built for running. It’s taken a long time to realise just how slowly I need to go to be conversational. I’ve probably got slower gears still waiting to be discovered.
So one piece of advice I’d give is to fully embrace the slow. You definitely aren’t walking - your heartrate will tell you that! For all those people know who you are plodding past, you may have been plodding for the last hour. And you are definitely faster than yourself sitting on the couch. Listen to your breathing, and focus on keeping it steady. If it’s getting ragged, slow again.
I’d also say maybe find some lovely locations - a wood, trails, a river walk? Get involved with your local Parkrun? You can run/walk your way round with other people and the only judgement people make is a well done for doing it.
For other people, podcasts and music keep them company.
But the main thing is to find that gear where you can enjoy the run, and tell the inner critic to go take a running jump - you are out there, doing it, and that’s great.
Hmm, well I'll give it a go, I suspect I am more bothered about other people judging me if I go more slowly (believe me I am VERY slow now!). There are a couple of hills on my route too, and I l know I tense up as I approach them as they knock the fluff out of me however slowly I go. Sadly, every route has a hill, but that's good stamina practice I suspect. Next run is tomorrow, so I'll try to find that mythical gear!
Anxiety makes our hearts beat faster, and when we are trying to run slow and keep our breathing manageable, that’s an added burden we don’t need! So if we can try to tell us ourselves to enjoy the hill, that it’s ok to walk for a bit, that no one is judging - including ourselves - it might help with the effort level too.
Ps. I went for a run along a river walk recently - blissfully flat, and no traffic! There were lots of runners, all of them faster than me, including one super fit guy going super slow whilst watching his watch, probably trying to keep his HR under 60 or something! We all smiled at each other, recognising another runner out doing our thing.
P.P.S. I don’t know what the stats are of someone being a tw@t and saying something negative vs saying nothing or being encouraging to a runner - 1 in 100, 200, +? Those people are in the minority, probably think they are wittier/funnier than they actually are, and should not be listened to.
🍏Welcome to the forum and well done on persevering to Week 7. Not many runners have enjoyed the last 7 weeks of weather that’s for sure! I wonder if your lack of joy is due to weather. Try & mix it up a bit.. run early mornings & watch the sunrise or in the evenings at sunset.. a different route may inspire you or a brand new playlist.. run with a friend or a group.. Are you strengthening your body with stretching? A strong body copes so much better with a run.. Do a body check when you on the 5 min walk… Am I relaxed & smiling? Are my shoulders tense? Are my arms swinging easily.. Do my legs feel heavy? Find 3 things on your run that bring joy to the senses! Keep a running journal.. Remember many runners find the first 10 mins of a run difficult as the body transitions from walking to running & then like magic it starts to feel great… Every run is different! We learn much about ourselves our minds and our runs each time.
Thanks Annieapple , good tip to check how relaxed I am as I walk. I suspect I tense up, which probably makes me more breathless too. It's great seeing how others deal with things on this forum, a real help!
So much of what goes on in running happens in our heads not our limbs.
I hated running when I started, but decided I'd try and work out why other people like it. So my tips would be to actively think about what you're enjoying while you're out there. Is it the feel of your limbs doing their stuff and behaving themselves or is it the fact you have the mental energy to perservere through the less enjoyable bits? Is it the scenery? Is it the fact of being on your own in the elements (or with someone in the elements?). The more tiny things you notice that you enjoy, the more you will enjoy the run.
Another tip for when you're really hating it - SMILE Yes, crack a grin, it'll lift your mood and put a spring in your step. And if you're really, really hating it say out loud, as loud as you dare, 'I'M REALLY ENJOYING THIS!!!' Chances are you'll burst out laughing at how daft this is and that'll definitely lift your mood!
PS you may want to make sure that there isn't anyone within earshot when you yell out how much you're enjoying yourself!!
Thank you! You're so right, I catch myself saying "oh this is going to be hard" as I set off, which is guaranteed to make everything difficult! I do smile, as that's the shape my mouth makes as I breathe heavily 😂. Will focus on the positives and tell myself I am enjoying the run!!
The ‘conversational pace’ still exhausts me, I can sustain it but there’s no way I could say anything more than “good morning” as I trundle past someone!
I think you’re doing what I used to do…you’re running at what you wish your conversation pace was instead of what it actually is. To be running a conversational pace, you have to be able to talk in full sentences out loud! That might be much slower than you’d like, but if you can make peace with that you’ll discover running while breathing at the same time is actually very nice! I had to learn to leave my ego at home but it really did help enjoy runs more.
Things that help me stay truly conversational:
Changing my watch setting so it doesn’t show my pace.
Running to chilled music or talk based podcasts.
Running in the country on trails or in places where I wanted to enjoy the scenery.
I think it’s about really focusing on why you are doing this. Imagining yourself fit and how it will make you feel and look. You said you can enjoy the sense of achievement so that’s brilliant. I don’t like running either but I think how it will help the activities I do love. You can celebrate the achievement of getting to the next tree, managing that hill…because it’s so much better than not doing it. You’ve overcome the inertia that bugged you for a couple of years….how fabulous is that! I think I’m saying don’t force yourself to love it…30 mins and then you can revel in your accomplishment and feel smug. They say 10 minutes brisk walking is good for you….and you are doing heaps more than that. If you like music then make sure your first couple of tracks are really uplifting to put you in a good frame of mind from the start.
I try to focus on the actual reason why I'm doing this run (even though I don't like it!). It will be different for all of us. Looking good...having more puff to play with dogs / children...losing weight to help painful knees...just being able to say "I run" ...keeping up with a friend on a walk....whatever your main driver is, try to visualise it and make the vision really appealing. PS I had a break from running too ..and this is what I'm doing to get me back into it. Good luck. Also love Jeremiah's idea - I tell myself if I don't do the whole run then I will walk bits instead and then it's not so frightening but still good for my fitness.
How about repeating one of the early week runs ? You may feel amazed at how that feels now in comparison and realise that you enjoy the feeling of ability.
At the moment you are challenging yourself to go further/longer and it can be demoralising to be constantly challenged. See how far you have come and know that the effort has been so worthwhile and that you are working towards your goal.
Also , you may see the power of the mind; if/when you now do that early run, your mind’s voice will probably be saying -‘this will be easy’ and so you will be relaxed, shoulders down,, ready to enjoy the run.
It is unfortunate that the default setting for the mind is negative to increased effort/harder tasks , but it seems to happen to nearly everyone. We (mostly)all have to override the beastly naysaying in our heads. I’d love to be someone who didn’t have to talk to my inner self like a child who is refusing to go to school!!
well done for keeping going especially if you hate it. I wouldn’t worry too much about pace - anything that raises your heartbeat is good enough. Maybe try to vary your route (even just doing the same one back to front), new playlist or try a podcast- anything to add a bit of variety.
"The ‘conversational pace’ still exhausts me, I can sustain it but there’s no way I could say anything more than “good morning”
In which case, that isn't 'conversational pace'!
If you can't chat easily, then you're going too quickly - simple as! Use your breathing as a measure of how hard you're working - it's your canary in the coal mine. Ideally, you should barely notice your breathing - even towards the end of your run (JOG!).
If this means going slower than your fastest, briskest walk, then so be it 😎
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