Help me out of my rut!

runrabbit

This is one for any armchair psychologists on the A/R/T forum!

I misplaced my running mojo over 2 weeks ago and it hasn't been seen since!

I'm running 6 months now (with a couple of injury breaks). I registered for the adidas race series and went into the 5-mile with the sole aim of enjoying the race, as my previous race experiences (a 5km and 5 mile) had not been enjoyable. The 5 mile went great for me, I was delighted with my time. In the 4 weeks after that my training was going really well, I worked up to 13.1miles on my LSRs and was doing some speed work too. I never had to force myself to go out and train.

The week before the adidas 10-mile I planned to run a 10-mile LSR but I fell apart and pulled up after 8-miles. I put it down to tiredness, and took it very easy in the last week before the adidas 10-mile. Nonetheless, I fell apart on that too; I actually walked parts of it (something I hadn't done since the first couple of weeks of starting to run), was nauseated, and all in all it was a horrible experience. I had set myself "time-limits" for what time I wanted to reach 1-mile, 2-mile etc. by and when it was clear after a couple of miles that it wasn't going to happen I found it mentally hard to go on. I think I put far too much pressure on myself as a beginner.

Luckily I went on holidays the next day, so the pressure was off. I went out for 2 short runs and 1 very long hike on holidays, and came back home yesterday. I had 13-miles in the plan for today but when I got up this morning I just couldn't do it. I actually felt scared to go out and fail again. I went out for a 4-mile run this evening and it actually went grand, but I still feel terrified of longer runs and I don't know where to go from here.

The Dublin half-marathon is less than 3 weeks away - I've put in the miles and I don't want to let all my hard work go to waste now. Can anyone give me some pointers on how to get my confidence back and get motivated again?

osnola ibax

Do not let this get in on you. Running has a huge psychological element attached. You have already run 13 miles so you know you can do it. Go and do it. The 10 mile is a bogey race, its not much shorter than the 13 but a lot longer than 5 but people tend to run it at 5 pace and end up dying. I did it myself. It was also hot last Saturday.

Long runs are mentally hard, its all part of it but just do them, don't dwell on them or you wont go out, I've been there. In races, pick a reasonable finish time and run the first mile 30 secs slower than planned pace. GET OUT AND RUN

Woddle

Would love to hear a few views on this. I lost my own at the start of the year and have tried numerous times to find it, no real joy.
I even went as far as trying a different event and that got me going again for a few weeks but then after completing the task I'm back to square 1.

I think I could be just going through a very lazy phase.

asimonov

+1 to what OI said.

Give yourself a break. You're only running six months, whats the point in doing it if you are going to beat yourself up - where's the fun in that? Forget about times for the half and set yourself a goal to enjoy it - does it really matter if your time is 5 min / 10 min one way or the other?

What matters is you went from beginner to half marathoner in around six months. That's a job well done.

But, the only way you are really going to enjoy it properly is if you've done your training runs and you hit the start line with that bit of confidence. So as OI says - get out and run.

osnola ibax

Woddle, you have a lot of running in you, from what I remember you were trying to pb every race (I don't pretend to know you well). Just run and enjoy it.

Here's a trick that I find is working for me. Long runs - don't run mileage, run times, I set out last Friday to run for 2 hours, it worked. I don't know how far I ran but it doesn't matter, it was 2 hours on the feet. I know I can do a half Marathon in 2 hours, I just need time on my feet, regardless of pace. Hope to run for two hours every Friday for next couple of weeks and then start to extend it. Also, enjoy the scenery.

nerraw1111

I find that the better you become, your mentality changes and so does your interpretation of your performance.

You go from running 5 miles to 13 miles and your delighted with yourself and think 'maybe I've a talent for this.'

But then you struggle to run 8 miles one weekend and get frustrated. But sometimes you have to accept you just can't continually improve each time you lace your shoes and that you just have crap days.

Could be down to a few things, body is tired, not eating right, not enough rest. You can forget about these issues due to the huge improvements you've been making with ease.

Perhaps take a step back and try and do a few distances that you enjoy rather than chasing the mile markers. Might not improve your performance but might get you enjoying it again and restore the ole confidence.

Went through a similar phrase myself after injury/struggling with distances.

This has been my experience so far.

Blueskye

I would take it easy on yourself. It can be all too easy to get hung up on times and setting high expectations losing sight of just what you've achieved. Remember, you've run a 10 mile race in 6 months which is more than most can do!

I find my motivation wanes now and again and when that happens I try to take a step back and ease off on the psychological pressure. And remember why I do this, mainly for enjoyment. Setting goals for myself time-wise comes second. So what if you walked some of the 10 mile race, it was a hot day and it's a fair old distance. I would forget about times for the moment and just try to run for the enjoyment of it. It's all miles and building endurance. Get a few consistent months of training in and then think about times again. There's no pressure, hopefully you'll be at this running lark for years to come.

LeoB

Hi runrabbit, Mrs Leo b here, firstly throw away watch for a bit !!!! Nothing has changed in your running, only a blip and that was avery warm am on the ten miler, all us novices suffered.
I can remember a good while back having a crap run, it took me weeks to restore the faithin myself. I also believe your confidence has taken a bashing. It is almost ilke you panic now when feeling uncomfortable during a testing long session. We have all been there.
I see one great piece of advice there, time on your feet. not miles counted. This is how I approach half marathons, I know I have to stay in motion for 2hrs approx,so that is what my longest slow run would be, and I would never do this later than 3 weeks before race.
We can underestimate what the demands on our bodies are and now and again we need to slow all else down. I think you really do want to run, but your confidence has gone a little. No panic, but i would try a little more relaxed approach for a bit DONT BE A SLAVE TO THAT WATCH, At the ten miler, I really felt s..t at 2-3 miles. Decided just to get aroung and stopped checking mile times until the finish, around mile 6 i had relaxed reasonably, and guess what finished bang on target.!!
Best of luck

elvis jones

I was in that rut post injury and hadn't ran for 5 weeks, i was itching to run. But then when i got the all clear to run.........i didn't want to, my fitness had dropped and it was so much harder.

I think i came back too hard and too fast and it hit me hard. Since then i have taken it slowly and am getting there.

I was up at 5:30 this morning to get to Dublin for 7 to run before i started work, so my mojo is back and i can say i am an addict:D

Just take it slowly and build and it will come back. Also good to have a race to focus on even if its a 5 mile or 5km even. Just something that gives you that reason to get up and train.

itsalltrue

i agree with most posts and have had a similar issue.

Each week as part of my training i run 5 miles with no watch. I run for the enjoyment of it. You should look to do the same.

I'm running 18 months now and my first 6 was similar to yourself were i built myself up to the half. Each week by clock watching i found myself getting quicker until i pushed myself too hard in a long run that i had done a few times previously and i broke down.

You need to put it behind you and remember that you have done these distances and its still in you. Don't fret about the half go out and enjoy the fact that you can run that distance after 6 months of training. Forget about the time this year.

runrabbit

Thanks to all for your advice and support. I took it all on board, and went out this morning for a 13.1-mile run; the last before the half! I can't say it went fantastically well; I had a few water stops and my pace was slower than over the same distance 3 weeks ago, by nearly 8 minutes! I'm going to spend the next few weeks trying to just enjoy running and try my hardest to get my goals for the half out of my head and just enjoy it!

RubyK

Sounds like you are out of that rut runrabbit, if you got out for a 13.1 miler this morning :eek:! Well done, great stuff. Forget about times etc and just feel the love I guarantee you will surprise yourself on the day!

pgmcpq

LeoB wrote: »

, firstly throw away watch for a bit !!!!

runrabbit wrote: »

....a 13.1-mile run .... and my pace was slower than over the same distance 3 weeks ago, by nearly 8 minutes ......

I'm with Mrs LeoB - really leave the watch home and try to get back to how you first started to run and the time moment when the endorphins kicked in and you started to think - hey I can see myself doing this. The pace will come back.

Assuming that you are not simply tired, short of sleep, overtrained .... then it is worth stepping back and thinking about where things went wrong. You don't say what happened on the 10 mile run where you pulled up at 8 (and there is unlikely to be anyone on this forum who has not blown a run once).

I had a rough spot earlier this year after a tough race. My next two results were disappointing. I realized that I was running scared - afraid that I'd blow up. Having figured this out I decided that it was better to risk blowing up (really - unless risking injury was there any outcome I could not recover from) when the alternative was to unconsciously hold myself back and be guaranteed a mediocre result. Two races later I had a significent new PB in the bag.

Mike D

Sounds like you're back on track with a 13.1 this morning. Agree with posters - all have probably had a bad run /race and it gets inside your head. I found that after the Clontarf half (still finding sand!) It took me a couple of weeks to get motivated again. I got through by taking runs slowly till I got the buzz back. Best of luck!

runrabbit

RubyK wrote: »

Sounds like you are out of that rut runrabbit, if you got out for a 13.1 miler this morning :eek:! Well done, great stuff. Forget about times etc and just feel the love I guarantee you will surprise yourself on the day!

Thanks Ruby, I don't really feel out of the woods yet as my pace has dropped so much over the past few weeks and I can't figure out why. Hopefully things improve soon! Great running by you by the way, I've been watching your log and it's amazing!

pgmcpq wrote: »

You don't say what happened on the 10 mile run where you pulled up at 8 (and there is unlikely to be anyone on this forum who has not blown a run once).

What happened was pretty much the same as happened at the race - felt overheated and freezing at the same time, a little bit nauseated, and my body just felt like it couldn't go on.

I think I've got into the bad habit of taking walking breaks now when the going gets tough (took 2 yesterday on my LSR), which realistically I don't need, it's just a bad habit! I need to kick it!

xebec

runrabbit wrote: »

Thanks Ruby, I don't really feel out of the woods yet as my pace has dropped so much over the past few weeks and I can't figure out why. Hopefully things improve soon! Great running by you by the way, I've been watching your log and it's amazing!

As others have said, leave the watch at home, forget about pace and run for enjoyment for a while - particularly on the shorter runs.

runrabbit wrote: »

What happened was pretty much the same as happened at the race - felt overheated and freezing at the same time, a little bit nauseated, and my body just felt like it couldn't go on.

I think I've got into the bad habit of taking walking breaks now when the going gets tough (took 2 yesterday on my LSR), which realistically I don't need, it's just a bad habit! I need to kick it!

We all have bad days. I blew up before 8 miles in the Frank Duffy race this year, was finding it tough going up till then and at the flat section by St Mary's I just had to stop, couldn't keep going. Made it to the end in a respectable time (for me) but didn't get anywhere near my goal. For me it was a learning experience on what went wrong - combination of poor training in 2 weeks beforehand, wrong food for same time and poor nutrition on the day - but that's all it was, got to let it go and try to find your mojo again.

It does come back!

Mick Rice

Howdy - my only recommendation would be to try to fin some good company to run in. If I ran on my own the whole time I wouldn't run at all :-)

You might think about joining a club, a fit for life group, or just hooking up with friends for a jog. It makes a big difference. There have been occasions when I really haven't really fancied a run, but because I knew that I'd have company I went anyway and told everyone on the run how much I didn't fancy a run, while running.

Good Luck!

shels4ever

Mick Rice wrote: »

Howdy - my only recommendation would be to try to fin some good company to run in. If I ran on my own the whole time I wouldn't run at all :-)

You might think about joining a club, a fit for life group, or just hooking up with friends for a jog. It makes a big difference. There have been occasions when I really haven't really fancied a run, but because I knew that I'd have company I went anyway and told everyone on the run how much I didn't fancy a run, while running.

Good Luck!

+1
It makes it so much easier having people to run with at times I though I was a lone in been a running slut but would run with anyone.