I always thought it was because I was afraid to fail, to not reach the intended target pace and be able to hold it or that I wouldn't have the attention span to pay attention. I realized something. I've been approaching them all wrong.
Wait let me back up...I teeter on the line between being a casual runner, no real goals just running and competitive running, a desire to improve a skill that I feel so inadequate at. As a result, I have a case of what I'm calling..
"pavement perplexity"
I start a run thinking it's going to be just a casual run and then half way through want to some how turn it into something it's not. For whatever today's run was different. I woke up thinking about it and thinking about what I needed to do during it. I decided about 2 hours before that I was going to prep for it like I would prep for a volleyball game or practice.
That meant prepping to focus for the entire run, which for me is tough. That meant following the plan and sticking to the workout, no matter how hard it is. Something crazy happened, I made it through the workout, I did it all and I did it well and I was proud.
I realized there's room for running for fun and for performance...just figure out which it is and go for it! Sounds simplistic and obvious but for some reason today it finally sunk in.
How do you prep for your runs? What type of runs are your favorite? What's the most challenging part of running to you?
Booo! My old comment didn't go through. Anyway, I love your new approach and I love how the mental game, though we know it's important, still takes the right moment/time to figure out and sink in. :-D
ReplyDeleteI too have issues with hitting set time goals in tempos and intervals.
ReplyDeleteLong, slow runs are best for me.
However, I am working on it.
SO true! We are more capable than we think we are! It's 80% mental. I'd love to run a tempo with you!
ReplyDeleteOh absolutely. I struggle with this too - heading out to run casually but then getting competitive with myself. Or having a harder workout on tap and psyching myself out. But I had a similar experience this morning. Amazing what a shift in perspective will do. Great job my friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm usually the opposite. I psych myself up way too much to hit xx speed. I'm learning to not be afraid of the prescribed pace and just go. It never fails to amaze me how mental running is!
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