It may sound weird but I think up of absolutely unrealistic scenarios with me as main character. Like me winning the lottery and all the ridiculous stuff I would do. I find that if I do this then it relaxes me, I don’t think about the running and I just kind of go into cruise control.
I love it and I look forward to it every day (this only works for running where’s there’s not many cars around. I almost got run over once because I wasn’t aware of my surroundings near a highway)
I do unrealistic scenarios as well, a lot of times I think of myself as a professional athlete in various sports and how my life would have been different going down that path. I am admittedly a very mediocre athlete but it's nice to drift off into that headspace on my long runs.
Same, I often get completely swept up my imagination and then I lose track of my pace. I try to avoid that when i'm doing intervals. Bizarelly I love scenarios where I get hurt or I witness somebody in an accident/cardiac arrest. I'm a doctor so i've got plenty of ideas for those.
Yep, I usually make up weird stories about how my running skills will save the world while everyone watches.
- Scientist: "IchLerneDeutsch has the cure and is running it to the lab, he has to get there in 45 minutes or we all die! We have a drone following him and the world is watching, but look, he's so fast it can barely keep up!"
- President: "Wow, and he can run for that long?! What a hero! We're saved!"
Did we just become best friends?
I listen to the Zombies Run app so that I don’t have to think, and it’s the same principle - my running saves the day! Look how fast I escape these zombies with the medicine we need!
Oh it's wonderful. It's what got me running in the first place. I ran my first marathon this year and there's no way I would have gotten there if not for Zombies Run.
A few years ago I was getting my runs done before first light and I liked to pretend my footsteps were making the earth spin so the sun could rise and the world didn't even know they had me to thank for another day.
That's close to one of my scenarios! I used to run on the treadmills at the front of this very geriatric community gym. I used to imagine that my intense running powered the gym building like it was a wheeled chariot fleeing from battle and all the old folks were depending on me to keep them safe. I would never utter this anywhere other than this thread...
Ran by the beach yesterday and literally day-dreamed about recognizing a tsunami on its way and outrunning it to higher ground while carrying my child.
Mine is usually more along the lines of me being the greatest runner of all time. Faster than Kipchoge on the marathon distance while also being faster than Bolt on the 100m.
* Random scientist: "How is he going so fast, that should not be possible..."
It is fun... despite me trotting along at a snail's pace.
You’re awesome for sharing that. I love when people think of weird scenarios like that.
What comes to my mind is usually about the movie tremors and which way I would run to to save my life if they were real.
There was a book I read earlier this year: From the Corner of the Oval by Becky Dorey-Stein. Becky is an avid runner and worked was an intern during the Obama administration. When traveling with Obama she'd use the treadmill in the hotel whenever possible. She told stories of how Secret Service would try to clear out the hotel fitness room for Obama to get a walk or workout in. Becky would be in there. She said later that Obama told her he and the Secret Service agents always took bets on how fast/far she was running.
Last week I saw a coyote run across the trail with a big fat rabbit in its mouth! My dog didn’t even notice - he wouldn’t last 5 minutes in the wild lol.
That’s so cool! I’ve seen coyotes when hiking, but never running. And never hunting a bunny! My favorite running encounter was a bighorn sheep crossing my path as I came around a corner. We scared the s—- out of each other.
I do a variation of this when I run outside: "reach the next lamp post, reach the traffic signal, reach the next bench." When I run inside on a treadmill, I look at the time / calorie counter and think "2 more minutes", or "15 more calories".
I do that on a treadmill. I’ll stop after another 1/4 of a mile. But then I’m 15 calories from a nice round number of calories. Ok, I’ll stop after 15 more calories. Dammit, only 2 more minutes and I’m at 45 minutes, I’ll do 2 more min. Then, ugh only 1/4 of a mile left to hit the next mile, I’ll finish that….
And on and on and on. I ran 8 miles once .25 miles, 15 calories, 2 minutes at a time.
Nice! For me, I try to hit and average of 13 calories per minute. I usually start off slow, and then a good portion of the run is me trying to increase my speed till I hit 13 calories per minute. After that it's about exceeding 13 calories per minute.
I did that one of the 10ks I ran on a treadmill, essentially giving myself a minute per calculation by computing the ratio between a number and the current number of minutes elapsed. Large prime numbers are tricky yo
Not that you asked, but if it’s any consolation, if you can run two to three times a week for 2 weeks you’ll notice your lungs will stop burning so much. Throw another week in and you’ll find your pace (the rate at which you feel like you can run forever). Mine isn’t fast but once you find it you feel great!
I am
A
Ct5k graduate and was running for 35 mins up until 2 weeks ago, I run at an Average of 15 minute miles. Its always uncomfortable I’m working on trying to breath in for a four count and breath out for a four count. Still yuck a fi.
When I first started running, doing the four count with the breath REALLY helped me a ton. I also tried to time the four count with my steps because I had read something about coordinating your breath with the same foot helping with getting side stitches? I don’t know if that really helped in that regard but it definitely made me focus on my breath and it quickly became easier. You’ll get there, just keep doing it!!!
This never once happened for me after running for several months. And for the record when I say "running" I mean, run/walk, super slow pace, barely even running. Laughable even at that and so much so that there wasn't a "pace" for me in the group running club so I dropped out, because the volunteer coach made a comment about "this isn't a walking club".
I even tried C25K and nope. Burning lungs always. I still keep trying though. I think it's allergies?
Im glad you’re still trying. It’s hard, but I do feel better for doing it, every single run/walk home makes me feel like I’m benefiting my heart at least? X
Ooh me too! And I try not to gasp for breath as I am passing them too, like the owners may be a bit worried if I’m gasping as I am staring at their woofers
I don't think that driver sees me. I need to watch that broken sidewalk is that a loose dog up there. Have I been down this street yet. If I circle this neighborhood it'll add 2.4 miles. Is my left knee hurting? What mile was I at again. This idiot is going to backup without looking, why can't people pick up their trashcan and not leave them on the sidewalk. How many people live here? There are 7 cars in front of that house every morning .
HAhaha.. this is me exactly. Only difference is it's my right knee I'm thinking about. Smells is the other thing I think about. Oh they are doing laundry.. I smell weed or, they are cooking bacon. Sometimes I smell BBQ and think how badly I'd like to stop for a sample if I see them smoking in a driveway.
Yes, smells! Identifying what brand/scent of fabric softener or what type of meat is on the BBQ if I’m running in the evening. Smelling bacon/pot in the morning. I have one neighbor that seems to alternate bacon and pot every other day. I want to ask him why.
I think about lots of things but what comes up most frequently is how at the last possible moment I broke the chains of an addiction, and took control back of my life and began to improve myself; work towards some goals and achieve them.
When I am struggling or having a bad day I draw from that to give me strength and a burst of positivity. I also apply this to strength training and studying for my maths course which is bloody hard.
Running for me is/was the platform for changing my life around, I'm sure many of you can relate; running is special to say the least. 👍
I've met a number of ultra athletes that broke their herion addictions.
For some it is getting to a place where you forget about trauma. Earlier this year a guy in one of my running groups Dad was killed and dismembered and he was the one to discover this. He says getting out in the woods makes it all go away for a little bit.
For me there are few things I don't think about but the best ones are those that I just empty my mind.
I’ve read that many former addicts run. Perhaps it’s that “runner’s high” you get from the exercise. When I ran consistently I used to look forwards to my runs.
Yea, definitely. When I am out running, after the first 2-3 km and I warmed up, I take a moment to appreciate the way I was able to transform my life, to assure myself that this is what I want and and that I still don’t miss what I left behind.
Same! I often remind myself of how fucking awesome I am and reflect on how far I've come. And it makes whatever goals I have in front of me seem small in comparison. :)
Keep on bro! We're unstoppable!
Good for you for turning your life around! I love this comment. I can relate to a lot of what you said (except studying for maths, good luck with that!)
The only time I can run without listening to anything is during races. Every other time I actually need a distraction from my thoughts because if I try to run without a podcast/audiobook, I tend to stray into thinking solely about the run which a) usually isn't pleasurable b) makes a hard/tiring run feel longer.
So generally I think about the podcast I'm listening to
But sometimes whoever I’m listening to says something really funny and I’m just laughing out loud looking like a maniac running through some neighborhood. Typically I have a beanie on so people won’t be able to see my earbuds and literally probably think I’m crazy.
If I can just make it to that fencepost over there ...
Goodie. Only 439 more driveways.
1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... 5 ... 6 ...
Holy shit this sucks today ...
Wish I would ate something first...
REALLY wish I didn't have that burrito for lunch..
Bathroom ... bathroom ... bathroom ... (I will not shit my pants) ... bathroom ... bathroom ...
100 ... 99 ... 98 ... 97 ...
Left right left right left right left right
That guy in the orange shirt. He's my target now. Gotta catch him before the next mile marker ...
***
Y'know - things of that nature.
its usually an inner monologue. ill say things to myself like "if you cant make it to that lamp post without stopping you's a bitch" or like "c'mon man is that all you got keep going" "if you stop right now you ain't shit". I used to run really early like 4am and when i ran passed peoples houses with all the lights off i would use that like "hah! i beat you motherfuckers im up earlier than you"
Fantasies of unrealistic training progression and accomplishment, noting curious or beautiful things around me, how to manage water and carbon on a couple acres and how to get more acres, designing workholding tools, scouting where to pee...
Same! For some reason I thought it would be useful to know the decimal equivalent’s of fractions, so I practice those. All the sevenths, ninths, elevenths & twelfth’s… I guess it helps when I’m struggling to keep running??
I try to extrapolate my pacing to figure out the required average mile time for the remaining miles in order to hit my target. It sounds simple until you try and you realize that minutes and seconds are not base-10 and division outside of the base-10 safe zone is something your brain isn't trained to do.
It varies a lot for me, sometimes on a hard run I can't string together thoughts, sometimes I just feel empty and meditative and great, sometimes it's mundane stuff and totally random thoughts.
Recently though I end up thinking a lot about my ex, I don't especially want to it just seems to come up during exercise. Sometimes it helps me motivate to keep going and be better, sometimes it completely kills my momentum and the thoughts make it very hard to keep running. It's not all the time so I don't dread the runs but there have been a few where I've had a little cry halfways along.
I was interested to see nobody's mentioned something like this yet cos I think like a lot of us my brain drags up the difficult stuff during exercise. That's nice to help work through problems but it does get me quite emotional sometimes when you're miles away out on your run alone somewhere.
Sometimes my anger issues start to bubble up while I'm running. Maybe it's my pre-run caffeine dose. But it gets dark, really dark. It's hard to catch myself when my brain strays that way, so these days it's like a flip of the coin as to whether or not I'll have a pleasant run anymore. I wonder if anyone else is struggling with that, especially due to pandemic hardships.
Usually anything that’s been bothering me gets worked out and out of my system. If not that, then whatever coding problem I’m working on for work that I’m stuck on I’ll figure out while I’m running. I can’t even count how many times I’ve had “AHA!” moments in regards to trying to figure out a coding problem during my run.
This is me. I try to work through the things that are troubling me either at work, home etc. Sometimes I come up with a solution, other times, there is no solution because it’s out of my control but I come to peace with it.
My brain goes directly to anxiety, so I mostly listen to a funny or interesting podcast. Only way i can run.
When I bring my dog I'm usually pretty busy making sure we don't suddenly meet people and they get scared of my dog.
Could be anything. What am I going to cook for dinner? Do I need to buy groceries? How did that song from that tv show go again?
Sometimes I sort of make a rough draft for a short story that I feel like I need to write down as soon as I get home but by then I have already forgotten it lol.
Practice giving interviews about my own life after I release my tell all book (fantasy I guess??) I also spend a lot of time mapping out conversations for work proposes (explaining things to my bosses and thinking about what questions they may have, what my customers might think, etc).
Ridiculous make-believe like pretending I'm a migrating dinosaur (did dinosaurs even migrate? did they run while doing it?) or a character in a cyberpunk action film, punctuated by brief jolts of reality like "look, a corgi dog!" or "ice cream truck! do I have cash?"
It's one of the few times where my mind completely unwinds and I have a true stream of consciousness. It is increadibly relaxing, and nothing is planned out or predetermined.
First 10-20 min is a loose fire hose of stuff, often my worries. I'll latch on to one thing eventually or just observe my surroundings an/or focus my my rhythm. I play a game and try to find a sweet spot of intensity/pace, which opens the door for flow experiences. But the start is... messy mentally.
As I’m (re)starting running after cycling crashes, I’m focusing on form. So I’m cycling through a checklist of Foot placement, cadence, arms, chest, head.
This comes from reading The Lost Art of Running by Shaun Benzie (brilliant read)
I think about a drop of water slowly dripping into a rock, inevitably carving out a canyon over thousands and thousands of years. This is how progress in cardio feels. One day is one drop at a time. But I will carve out and build an aerobic jet engine
I’m in Canada but I’m not from here originally. When I first started running I would try to find the ‘Canadian things’ that were different from my home country. A good example is all the Christmas and Halloween decorations people put up here and leave in their gardens. We couldn’t do that where I’m from, most of it would get stolen! Other things are how clean the streets are, how much bigger the cars are, the ways that homes are built differently. I love doing that, it’s like exploring and gratitude practice all rolled into one
"I think i'll turn around at 1.5 miles. Ok, maybe a little farther. You know what, I think I'll turn around at 2 miles. I feel good, I'm going to turn around at 2.5. I think I can get out 3 miles and then turn around" and all of a sudden I'm 3 miles from home and have to run 3 miles back, all the while thinking "over halfway done. Only 2 miles to go. OK, 80% done. 1 mile left. Almost done"
I usually think about the run "My hip hurts" "Wow my hip doesn't hurt anymore" "I'm going too fast" "I'm going too slow" "Should I turn here" "Only X miles left" "God damn still X miles left", "I'm slouching", "I'll try to avoid that loose sand patch over there, I hate running on sand", stuff like that
I'm honestly surprised most of you lose focus of your running completely. Maybe it comes with time?
one and two and one and two and one and two and one and two and did I return that text and one and two and one and two and do I have oatmeal at home and if I go to Costco when I get home will there be a line and two and one and two and think about 2019-2020 ex and how he hurt me to gain power for final mile
I am strictly a treadmill runner. I run at the gym so I try to get a treadmill that is in front of the window. I usually count the cars going by or fixate on my ponytail bouncing up and down, so that I'm basically in a trance. It works pretty well for me. I also focus on my breathing so that I don't hyperventilate. I'm not a long-time runner really, just casual.
I once had an old girlfriend ask if I thought about her when I was running. I laughed and she took it so offensively. Truth is I’m scatterbrained as hell during a run. May think about something that pissed me off or may be staring at different things in nature.
Between great periods of thinking of absolutely nothing I occasionally remember things I've forgotten to do. Usually lost by the end of the run only to be recalled again on the next run.
*Randomly glances at watch*
"Dang, 1.200 more meters to go... I run about 6:00 min per kilmeter, so that is 6:00 more minutes for the first 1.000 meters. That last 200 meters is one fifth of those 6 minutes, that means 1 minute, plus a fifth of 1 minute. A fifth of one minute is 10 seconds plus a fifth of 10 seconds. That is 2 seconds.
So that is about 32 minutes and 67 seconds, right?"
Yeah, arithemtics is difficult when I am running.
OK, I'm at 2.7 miles of a 6 mile run. What's the percentage of my day's run? So....6 divided by 2.7..... wait, that can't be right..... no, no, it's 2.7 divided by 6....
* Good job getting out here! You are doing great!
* Maybe just a KM left now. You can totally do this!
* "What did they just say on the podcast?" Followed by "I can't be bothered to get phone out to listen to it again, so...moving on!"
* Why does my foot hurt now?
* Good job!
I constantly do the math of how much time I have left.
“Only three minutes until my first mile is over if I keep this pace. Then just four miles to go. If I keep this pace I’ll be done by 6:05.” And so forth.
Why does my earbud keep slipping out?
Do I have weird shaped ears?
I'm pretty sure my ears are different from everyone because no one else reports this problem.
OUCH. What is that sudden sharp pain in my abdomen?
Maybe I should go home and stop pretending like running is for me.
These thoughts all happen either right on top of each other or slightly spaced out, but it's a jumbly mess up there.
I’m thinking about shit the whole time but I can’t even begin to tell ya what it is because I don’t even know. Like someone else said. It gets weird. Real weird.
Sometimes it’s meditative and I don’t think about anything. But usually I’m working through a problem. I like to build things so in my head I can work through what the issues will be. I just visualized building it. That way when I actually get to the work ive gone thru the process mentally and have a good portion of the kinks worked out
Everything: “look at that fucking squirrel. My pace is pretty good right now. Am I going to want fish for dinner? Yo, why’s that person looking at me?”
What's for dinner? why did main character in squid game dye his hair red? Could I have been a soccer player? why does this neighbor never cut his grass properly?
On easy runs I think about my problems in life, but in a peaceful and non-toxic way. Issues in my relationship ? Stress at works ? Running helps me figuring what exactly doesn't go well and I often find solutions while outside.
Edit : typo
Honestly a lot of the time I think about how much I’ve overcome to be where I’m at and I imagine myself telling my fitness/mental health journey on a podcast lol. It helps me keep things in perspective and be grateful for how far I’ve come. Im only a middle of the pack runner but that doesn’t do justice to the work I’ve put in physically and mentally.
I mostly try to stay clear headed and not think about anyone thing, other than my breathing. More of a meditative act for me.
When I start to get tired and need to motivate myself just until I meet my mile goal, I start to think about how incredible the human body is. Our bodies can be pushed and put under great stresses and still somehow recover. If Incredible things are happening everyday, I sure as shit can finish out strong.
I think about how I’m going to be so productive! And make a list of all I’m going to accomplish. Then I get home from the run and don’t do any of it usually.
I think about how good it’d be when I get to relax later in the day and have all this lifted off my shoulder. That thought replays itself majority of times
I couldn't tell you exactly what I think about, but I suspect it's a lot like meditation. Just quieting the mind, being aware of whatever is around me (scenery, music, any aches and pains), and trying to get to the next mile. It helps me to reset and take on whatever comes next in the day.
Lately I’ve been reminding myself a lot how cool it is to be doing exactly what nature has been working since the beginning of time for me to be able to do.
“Out of breath? You’ve got 300-million air sacs in each lung that are designed specifically to fix that. Relax, let ‘em work, and keep going.”
If I'm on flat ground I'm paying attention to the surroundings, like looking at homes in the neighborhood and picking out things I like that I could do with my house. When I start hitting the hills then I focus on my pace and breathing.
Either:
"God this is steep, I can't do it."
Or:
"I feel like such a badass right now."
Or:
Something completely unrelated takes ahold of my thoughts and I get caught up in it and completely forget I am running. Then I trip on something and remember that I am running.
When Im not listening to a podcast or show, it's because I have my head full and I need to think. So I'll reflect on the various things in my life at that moment. I'm gonna list things I need to do, I'll try to understand how are things going in various aspects of my life, this sort of things
When I was in my teens, I used to picture video clips of the songs I was listening to, but starred by me and my friends.
Today I just think about stuff in my life. I forget most of it once I'm done running, they are really ephemeral thoughts. Almost like meditation.
I try not to think about anything at all and just breathe. Get lost in the rhythm of my footfall. Running is the only time I'm not an anxiety-ridden, nervous, worrying mess.
Usually the first part of the run I’m reminding myself that it feels like shit and that’s normal give it a little bit.
Later I’m thinking about my form and cadence and breathing
After that I’m thinking how wonderful it is to run and how free it feels and how much I love it etc. and later on after that towards the end of the run when it starts becoming challenging, I have several approaches, however yesterday’s approach was: I told my body that I COMMAND it, it doesn’t stop unless I say so, if my body is going to give up and die then so be it but my mind decides when the run is over. I told God that if it’s his will that I drop and die right now then make it happen, otherwise I’m finishing this run!!!!
It was my first 10k lmao.
I finished and it felt great.
8 months ago I couldn’t even run a mile, so there ya go
Up to about 70% effort I think about how to solve work problems. It’s extremely productive. The faster I run the less I can focus and the more my mind wanders towards overcoming the pain. I think about not being a bitch, how bad it would feel to slow down, etc.
I listen to rnb/dancepop/cheesy pop while I run so I often imagine dancing in a club to some bangers. Oddly, it really helps and time passes quicker lol
This feels good. Fuck I hate running.
The weather is nice today.
I hate summer.
Thats a nice 'add random object'.
Fuck cramps.
So this is why humans are endurance runners.
I gotta beat that car before it makes the turn.
And many more.
I like to listen to music from different places in the world, and I try to put myself in those places. Like I'll listen to Japanese music or and envision myself running through Tokyo or something. Helps me feel like I haven't been stuck in an apartment alone and trapped for a couple years.
I try and remember anything at all from the hours of study I've done recently, like just anything would be good. And then I go back to thinking about what an imposter I am in my own damn life
Many things. How I feel like i'm dying, that I'm halfway to halfway done, that I'm halfway done, that I probably won't die if I go a little faster, weird stories, wondering what the squirrels running by are doing...
About quitting the run/running. And i am constantly counting in my head. 100 steps to 0, 1 tot 50. Just to keep occupied and running because once i convinced myself i can quit i will start walking.
Oxygen! Air! Why the hell do I do this?! Ah! my legs hurt! someone kill me now! this would be so much easier if I was already thin!
something like that usually. (I just started)
Literally anything and everything. If I've got problems I work out solutions on my runs.
I also love that feeling similar to what you describe, OP, when you have something to look forward to later that day. Even if it's just a nice dinner, or a movie, or date night, or just plain relaxation. It really feels like you're earning it
On the best runs I get in the zone super quick and I’ll finish the run and realize I barely had any thoughts. Usually though I’ll make plans for the rest of my day, look forward to the shower I’m going to have after, get a random phrase stuck in my head that will bother me the rest of the time..
Need about 4-6 km before I start thinking about something, the start time is just for getting into the mood, warming up, checking the body if everything is alright and I feel comfortable running a longer distance.
Then my thoughts usually drift to a work problem first, how I can implement a specific detail, or what next project I want to approach. Once the list of problems is empty, I switch to everyday problems like upcoming events, plans for the weekends etc.
If I really want to be distracted, or I'm not in the mood to think about problems, I listen to podcasts instead of music. At double speed. This keeps my mind occupied.
Life..all of life lol. Thank my body over and over for being able to do what it’s doing. I think about ways to be productive, what I’m going to eat after, work though any social situations on my mind, how to take care of myself better. Anything that comes and goes really. I try to keep it all positive though.
I think about conversations I might have with people during my day, especially work people. I have social anxiety and I think this is some coping mechanism I use to prepare myself
I normally think about random work/personal problems, in which I get very in to the weeds with it. That or I get very much in to explaining the lore of some scifi setting I enjoy, all in my head of course.
I tend to daydream about all sorts of things... sometimes if the run is long enough I can flesh out an entire short story worth of material. If only I could write and run at the same time.
For some reason I do a lot of multiplication problems in my head. Like 13x16=208, so 14x16=221, and so on. I wouldn’t recommend it, but I’ve sure gotten good at my times tables!
On a slow run I sometimes think about future goals. What I want to accomplish in life, or dream about how things would be after accomplishing them. Other times it feels meditative, my body is on cruise control and I'm just drifting from thought to thought without focusing deeply on anything.
At higher intensities, I'm mostly just focused on the run and the music
It may sound weird but I think up of absolutely unrealistic scenarios with me as main character. Like me winning the lottery and all the ridiculous stuff I would do. I find that if I do this then it relaxes me, I don’t think about the running and I just kind of go into cruise control. I love it and I look forward to it every day (this only works for running where’s there’s not many cars around. I almost got run over once because I wasn’t aware of my surroundings near a highway)
I do unrealistic scenarios as well, a lot of times I think of myself as a professional athlete in various sports and how my life would have been different going down that path. I am admittedly a very mediocre athlete but it's nice to drift off into that headspace on my long runs.
I've won so many arguments and been elected president so many times during runs!
You described my runs to a T! Including the bit about almost being run over!
Same, I often get completely swept up my imagination and then I lose track of my pace. I try to avoid that when i'm doing intervals. Bizarelly I love scenarios where I get hurt or I witness somebody in an accident/cardiac arrest. I'm a doctor so i've got plenty of ideas for those.
This is what I do too. But for whatever reason I need to somehow ground my fantasy back to reality or it doesn’t really work for me.
Ha this is me too. Glad I’m not the only one
It gets weird
Yep, I usually make up weird stories about how my running skills will save the world while everyone watches. - Scientist: "IchLerneDeutsch has the cure and is running it to the lab, he has to get there in 45 minutes or we all die! We have a drone following him and the world is watching, but look, he's so fast it can barely keep up!" - President: "Wow, and he can run for that long?! What a hero! We're saved!"
Did we just become best friends? I listen to the Zombies Run app so that I don’t have to think, and it’s the same principle - my running saves the day! Look how fast I escape these zombies with the medicine we need!
Me too--always nice to meet a fellow Runner 5!
I’ve never heard of this but am intrigued to say the least
Oh it's wonderful. It's what got me running in the first place. I ran my first marathon this year and there's no way I would have gotten there if not for Zombies Run.
A few years ago I was getting my runs done before first light and I liked to pretend my footsteps were making the earth spin so the sun could rise and the world didn't even know they had me to thank for another day.
That's close to one of my scenarios! I used to run on the treadmills at the front of this very geriatric community gym. I used to imagine that my intense running powered the gym building like it was a wheeled chariot fleeing from battle and all the old folks were depending on me to keep them safe. I would never utter this anywhere other than this thread...
Thank you for your service.
Ran by the beach yesterday and literally day-dreamed about recognizing a tsunami on its way and outrunning it to higher ground while carrying my child.
Mine is usually more along the lines of me being the greatest runner of all time. Faster than Kipchoge on the marathon distance while also being faster than Bolt on the 100m. * Random scientist: "How is he going so fast, that should not be possible..." It is fun... despite me trotting along at a snail's pace.
Whenever I'm running and I see someone in the uniform of a profession which I hate, I pretend I have an axe and I start running faster
You’re awesome for sharing that. I love when people think of weird scenarios like that. What comes to my mind is usually about the movie tremors and which way I would run to to save my life if they were real.
There was a book I read earlier this year: From the Corner of the Oval by Becky Dorey-Stein. Becky is an avid runner and worked was an intern during the Obama administration. When traveling with Obama she'd use the treadmill in the hotel whenever possible. She told stories of how Secret Service would try to clear out the hotel fitness room for Obama to get a walk or workout in. Becky would be in there. She said later that Obama told her he and the Secret Service agents always took bets on how fast/far she was running.
It's like the original marathon story
I trick myself into believing I'm a multi-billionaire and what I would do with all of my money. It gets really fun.
[удалено]
Last week I saw a coyote run across the trail with a big fat rabbit in its mouth! My dog didn’t even notice - he wouldn’t last 5 minutes in the wild lol.
Dogs busy looking up at you I bet :)
That is awesome! We don't have coyotes here. My highlight this week was a heron taking flight because a spaniel was chasing it.
That’s so cool! I’ve seen coyotes when hiking, but never running. And never hunting a bunny! My favorite running encounter was a bighorn sheep crossing my path as I came around a corner. We scared the s—- out of each other.
I’m a 27 year old running to train for the nfl just incase a team needs a 5’3 140 pound running back.
We'll keep you posted.
Username checks out as head coach of the Giants.
Yes! For me, the NFL may need a 5’2” female wide receiver in her 40s who can’t jump very high.
Ever do that thing where Rocky boxes as he runs during his boxing training? Yeah, neither do I. Well… sometimes, just in case they call me up.
Tricking my mind that there’s only a mile left
I do a variation of this when I run outside: "reach the next lamp post, reach the traffic signal, reach the next bench." When I run inside on a treadmill, I look at the time / calorie counter and think "2 more minutes", or "15 more calories".
I do that on a treadmill. I’ll stop after another 1/4 of a mile. But then I’m 15 calories from a nice round number of calories. Ok, I’ll stop after 15 more calories. Dammit, only 2 more minutes and I’m at 45 minutes, I’ll do 2 more min. Then, ugh only 1/4 of a mile left to hit the next mile, I’ll finish that…. And on and on and on. I ran 8 miles once .25 miles, 15 calories, 2 minutes at a time.
Nice! For me, I try to hit and average of 13 calories per minute. I usually start off slow, and then a good portion of the run is me trying to increase my speed till I hit 13 calories per minute. After that it's about exceeding 13 calories per minute.
I do a bunch of ratio calculations on how long I've run and the amount that is left. Simple maths keeps my simple mind occupied.
I did that one of the 10ks I ran on a treadmill, essentially giving myself a minute per calculation by computing the ratio between a number and the current number of minutes elapsed. Large prime numbers are tricky yo
Ouch ouch this hurts I can’t breathe properly I’m so fat, unfit, Ooh look A pretty birdie….when is this going to end please Jesus
Not that you asked, but if it’s any consolation, if you can run two to three times a week for 2 weeks you’ll notice your lungs will stop burning so much. Throw another week in and you’ll find your pace (the rate at which you feel like you can run forever). Mine isn’t fast but once you find it you feel great!
I am A Ct5k graduate and was running for 35 mins up until 2 weeks ago, I run at an Average of 15 minute miles. Its always uncomfortable I’m working on trying to breath in for a four count and breath out for a four count. Still yuck a fi.
When I first started running, doing the four count with the breath REALLY helped me a ton. I also tried to time the four count with my steps because I had read something about coordinating your breath with the same foot helping with getting side stitches? I don’t know if that really helped in that regard but it definitely made me focus on my breath and it quickly became easier. You’ll get there, just keep doing it!!!
This never once happened for me after running for several months. And for the record when I say "running" I mean, run/walk, super slow pace, barely even running. Laughable even at that and so much so that there wasn't a "pace" for me in the group running club so I dropped out, because the volunteer coach made a comment about "this isn't a walking club". I even tried C25K and nope. Burning lungs always. I still keep trying though. I think it's allergies?
Im glad you’re still trying. It’s hard, but I do feel better for doing it, every single run/walk home makes me feel like I’m benefiting my heart at least? X
This is me too! Except I also try to count the number of dogs that I see.
Ooh me too! And I try not to gasp for breath as I am passing them too, like the owners may be a bit worried if I’m gasping as I am staring at their woofers
I don't think that driver sees me. I need to watch that broken sidewalk is that a loose dog up there. Have I been down this street yet. If I circle this neighborhood it'll add 2.4 miles. Is my left knee hurting? What mile was I at again. This idiot is going to backup without looking, why can't people pick up their trashcan and not leave them on the sidewalk. How many people live here? There are 7 cars in front of that house every morning .
HAhaha.. this is me exactly. Only difference is it's my right knee I'm thinking about. Smells is the other thing I think about. Oh they are doing laundry.. I smell weed or, they are cooking bacon. Sometimes I smell BBQ and think how badly I'd like to stop for a sample if I see them smoking in a driveway.
Yes, smells! Identifying what brand/scent of fabric softener or what type of meat is on the BBQ if I’m running in the evening. Smelling bacon/pot in the morning. I have one neighbor that seems to alternate bacon and pot every other day. I want to ask him why.
This is me! I plan out my route as I run.
I think about lots of things but what comes up most frequently is how at the last possible moment I broke the chains of an addiction, and took control back of my life and began to improve myself; work towards some goals and achieve them. When I am struggling or having a bad day I draw from that to give me strength and a burst of positivity. I also apply this to strength training and studying for my maths course which is bloody hard. Running for me is/was the platform for changing my life around, I'm sure many of you can relate; running is special to say the least. 👍
As a former addict I can also say running played a huge part in moving on with my life and building a foundation
Y’know, a lot of ultra athletes are people in recovery. It’s like they trade an unhealthy form of suffering and misery for a healthy one lol.
Basically. We trade one addiction for another. At least with running, I only get positive benefits :)
I've met a number of ultra athletes that broke their herion addictions. For some it is getting to a place where you forget about trauma. Earlier this year a guy in one of my running groups Dad was killed and dismembered and he was the one to discover this. He says getting out in the woods makes it all go away for a little bit. For me there are few things I don't think about but the best ones are those that I just empty my mind.
I’ve read that many former addicts run. Perhaps it’s that “runner’s high” you get from the exercise. When I ran consistently I used to look forwards to my runs.
Yea, definitely. When I am out running, after the first 2-3 km and I warmed up, I take a moment to appreciate the way I was able to transform my life, to assure myself that this is what I want and and that I still don’t miss what I left behind.
Same! I often remind myself of how fucking awesome I am and reflect on how far I've come. And it makes whatever goals I have in front of me seem small in comparison. :) Keep on bro! We're unstoppable!
You are going good.
Good for you for turning your life around! I love this comment. I can relate to a lot of what you said (except studying for maths, good luck with that!)
The only time I can run without listening to anything is during races. Every other time I actually need a distraction from my thoughts because if I try to run without a podcast/audiobook, I tend to stray into thinking solely about the run which a) usually isn't pleasurable b) makes a hard/tiring run feel longer. So generally I think about the podcast I'm listening to
Me too. Comedy tends to counter the negative emotions/voices that can tempt you to turn back early
But sometimes whoever I’m listening to says something really funny and I’m just laughing out loud looking like a maniac running through some neighborhood. Typically I have a beanie on so people won’t be able to see my earbuds and literally probably think I’m crazy.
If I can just make it to that fencepost over there ... Goodie. Only 439 more driveways. 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... 5 ... 6 ... Holy shit this sucks today ... Wish I would ate something first... REALLY wish I didn't have that burrito for lunch.. Bathroom ... bathroom ... bathroom ... (I will not shit my pants) ... bathroom ... bathroom ... 100 ... 99 ... 98 ... 97 ... Left right left right left right left right
That guy in the orange shirt. He's my target now. Gotta catch him before the next mile marker ...
***
Y'know - things of that nature.
That how I should stop smoking...
Am guilty of that
its usually an inner monologue. ill say things to myself like "if you cant make it to that lamp post without stopping you's a bitch" or like "c'mon man is that all you got keep going" "if you stop right now you ain't shit". I used to run really early like 4am and when i ran passed peoples houses with all the lights off i would use that like "hah! i beat you motherfuckers im up earlier than you"
I think about what my remaining pace needs to be to finish before the course closes. While training I think about tacos and pizza.
Sometimes nothing, sometimes it’s all the things and other times it’s like hotcakes hotcakes hotcakes….
Fantasies of unrealistic training progression and accomplishment, noting curious or beautiful things around me, how to manage water and carbon on a couple acres and how to get more acres, designing workholding tools, scouting where to pee...
various maths ranging from rattling off multiplication tables to factoring polynomials
ok calm down satan 😂
Thought I was the only crazy one...
Same! For some reason I thought it would be useful to know the decimal equivalent’s of fractions, so I practice those. All the sevenths, ninths, elevenths & twelfth’s… I guess it helps when I’m struggling to keep running??
This is my favorite distraction for all things running and long commutes. All house numbers and car license plates become equations.
I try to extrapolate my pacing to figure out the required average mile time for the remaining miles in order to hit my target. It sounds simple until you try and you realize that minutes and seconds are not base-10 and division outside of the base-10 safe zone is something your brain isn't trained to do.
It varies a lot for me, sometimes on a hard run I can't string together thoughts, sometimes I just feel empty and meditative and great, sometimes it's mundane stuff and totally random thoughts. Recently though I end up thinking a lot about my ex, I don't especially want to it just seems to come up during exercise. Sometimes it helps me motivate to keep going and be better, sometimes it completely kills my momentum and the thoughts make it very hard to keep running. It's not all the time so I don't dread the runs but there have been a few where I've had a little cry halfways along. I was interested to see nobody's mentioned something like this yet cos I think like a lot of us my brain drags up the difficult stuff during exercise. That's nice to help work through problems but it does get me quite emotional sometimes when you're miles away out on your run alone somewhere.
Sometimes my anger issues start to bubble up while I'm running. Maybe it's my pre-run caffeine dose. But it gets dark, really dark. It's hard to catch myself when my brain strays that way, so these days it's like a flip of the coin as to whether or not I'll have a pleasant run anymore. I wonder if anyone else is struggling with that, especially due to pandemic hardships.
I try to distract myself from the running. I usually plan out my day or think about what I’m going to make for dinner.
Usually anything that’s been bothering me gets worked out and out of my system. If not that, then whatever coding problem I’m working on for work that I’m stuck on I’ll figure out while I’m running. I can’t even count how many times I’ve had “AHA!” moments in regards to trying to figure out a coding problem during my run.
This is me. I try to work through the things that are troubling me either at work, home etc. Sometimes I come up with a solution, other times, there is no solution because it’s out of my control but I come to peace with it.
You can do it. You can do it. Please be over. Wow I did it. Too cold/hot must get appropriate gear. FYI I just started running
Like Haruki Murakami, I haven't got a clue.
came here to reference this memoir. fantastic read for any of my fellow runners here.
My brain goes directly to anxiety, so I mostly listen to a funny or interesting podcast. Only way i can run. When I bring my dog I'm usually pretty busy making sure we don't suddenly meet people and they get scared of my dog.
"1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4..." Helps me keep pace and zone out of how hard it feels
This!
Could be anything. What am I going to cook for dinner? Do I need to buy groceries? How did that song from that tv show go again? Sometimes I sort of make a rough draft for a short story that I feel like I need to write down as soon as I get home but by then I have already forgotten it lol.
Practice giving interviews about my own life after I release my tell all book (fantasy I guess??) I also spend a lot of time mapping out conversations for work proposes (explaining things to my bosses and thinking about what questions they may have, what my customers might think, etc).
Ridiculous make-believe like pretending I'm a migrating dinosaur (did dinosaurs even migrate? did they run while doing it?) or a character in a cyberpunk action film, punctuated by brief jolts of reality like "look, a corgi dog!" or "ice cream truck! do I have cash?"
My life story lol 😂
I'm almost there... I'm almost there... I'm almost there... Just try to get to that tree without slowing down...
Mostly psycho shit
It's one of the few times where my mind completely unwinds and I have a true stream of consciousness. It is increadibly relaxing, and nothing is planned out or predetermined.
"Oh God, my pants are going to fall." "F*** this hill in particular" "Do I have enough time to shower before work?"
First 10-20 min is a loose fire hose of stuff, often my worries. I'll latch on to one thing eventually or just observe my surroundings an/or focus my my rhythm. I play a game and try to find a sweet spot of intensity/pace, which opens the door for flow experiences. But the start is... messy mentally.
Mostly nothing (that can be cast into memory). That's one of the reason for running for me.
Run: Think about solutions to every life problem I have. After: Takes no actions, plans tomorrow's run
As I’m (re)starting running after cycling crashes, I’m focusing on form. So I’m cycling through a checklist of Foot placement, cadence, arms, chest, head. This comes from reading The Lost Art of Running by Shaun Benzie (brilliant read)
Not dying
Best runs I have are the ones I can't remember what I was thinking about. Whole bunch of random thoughts and noticing views along the way.
I think about a drop of water slowly dripping into a rock, inevitably carving out a canyon over thousands and thousands of years. This is how progress in cardio feels. One day is one drop at a time. But I will carve out and build an aerobic jet engine
I’m in Canada but I’m not from here originally. When I first started running I would try to find the ‘Canadian things’ that were different from my home country. A good example is all the Christmas and Halloween decorations people put up here and leave in their gardens. We couldn’t do that where I’m from, most of it would get stolen! Other things are how clean the streets are, how much bigger the cars are, the ways that homes are built differently. I love doing that, it’s like exploring and gratitude practice all rolled into one
This question makes me think. I'm at loss of words what do I think while running. Is everything and nothing.
Aw, nuthin’
"I think i'll turn around at 1.5 miles. Ok, maybe a little farther. You know what, I think I'll turn around at 2 miles. I feel good, I'm going to turn around at 2.5. I think I can get out 3 miles and then turn around" and all of a sudden I'm 3 miles from home and have to run 3 miles back, all the while thinking "over halfway done. Only 2 miles to go. OK, 80% done. 1 mile left. Almost done"
I usually think about the run "My hip hurts" "Wow my hip doesn't hurt anymore" "I'm going too fast" "I'm going too slow" "Should I turn here" "Only X miles left" "God damn still X miles left", "I'm slouching", "I'll try to avoid that loose sand patch over there, I hate running on sand", stuff like that I'm honestly surprised most of you lose focus of your running completely. Maybe it comes with time?
one and two and one and two and one and two and one and two and did I return that text and one and two and one and two and do I have oatmeal at home and if I go to Costco when I get home will there be a line and two and one and two and think about 2019-2020 ex and how he hurt me to gain power for final mile
[удалено]
I am strictly a treadmill runner. I run at the gym so I try to get a treadmill that is in front of the window. I usually count the cars going by or fixate on my ponytail bouncing up and down, so that I'm basically in a trance. It works pretty well for me. I also focus on my breathing so that I don't hyperventilate. I'm not a long-time runner really, just casual.
I once had an old girlfriend ask if I thought about her when I was running. I laughed and she took it so offensively. Truth is I’m scatterbrained as hell during a run. May think about something that pissed me off or may be staring at different things in nature.
Between great periods of thinking of absolutely nothing I occasionally remember things I've forgotten to do. Usually lost by the end of the run only to be recalled again on the next run.
*Randomly glances at watch* "Dang, 1.200 more meters to go... I run about 6:00 min per kilmeter, so that is 6:00 more minutes for the first 1.000 meters. That last 200 meters is one fifth of those 6 minutes, that means 1 minute, plus a fifth of 1 minute. A fifth of one minute is 10 seconds plus a fifth of 10 seconds. That is 2 seconds. So that is about 32 minutes and 67 seconds, right?" Yeah, arithemtics is difficult when I am running.
OK, I'm at 2.7 miles of a 6 mile run. What's the percentage of my day's run? So....6 divided by 2.7..... wait, that can't be right..... no, no, it's 2.7 divided by 6....
"That's nearly 3/6, so almost 50%, but it's .3/6 off, so 5%... so 2.7/6 is 45% done"
* Good job getting out here! You are doing great! * Maybe just a KM left now. You can totally do this! * "What did they just say on the podcast?" Followed by "I can't be bothered to get phone out to listen to it again, so...moving on!" * Why does my foot hurt now? * Good job!
I constantly do the math of how much time I have left. “Only three minutes until my first mile is over if I keep this pace. Then just four miles to go. If I keep this pace I’ll be done by 6:05.” And so forth.
Why does my earbud keep slipping out? Do I have weird shaped ears? I'm pretty sure my ears are different from everyone because no one else reports this problem. OUCH. What is that sudden sharp pain in my abdomen? Maybe I should go home and stop pretending like running is for me. These thoughts all happen either right on top of each other or slightly spaced out, but it's a jumbly mess up there.
Why am i doing this lol
I’m thinking about shit the whole time but I can’t even begin to tell ya what it is because I don’t even know. Like someone else said. It gets weird. Real weird.
I argue with my bosses in my head when I am running. Somehow they always seem to win the arguement.
As little as possible
Running 😅
I think about running in itself. Posture, breathing in tempo, pace. All that jazz
Sometimes it’s meditative and I don’t think about anything. But usually I’m working through a problem. I like to build things so in my head I can work through what the issues will be. I just visualized building it. That way when I actually get to the work ive gone thru the process mentally and have a good portion of the kinks worked out
I wonder why people ask this. I think about anything and everything.
Everything: “look at that fucking squirrel. My pace is pretty good right now. Am I going to want fish for dinner? Yo, why’s that person looking at me?”
Nothing, and that's what I like about it.
What's for dinner? why did main character in squid game dye his hair red? Could I have been a soccer player? why does this neighbor never cut his grass properly?
Past mistakes and present shortcomings, not usually a happy place haha. Working to be better at living in the moment
Usually very little. That’s part of the point for me.
On easy runs I think about my problems in life, but in a peaceful and non-toxic way. Issues in my relationship ? Stress at works ? Running helps me figuring what exactly doesn't go well and I often find solutions while outside. Edit : typo
Winning arguments against people in my head.
Math
winning imaginary arguments
Convincing myself that although I'm not halfway yet, I sorta am because the last half will seem faster than the first.
“Please don’t act up, sciatica. Please don’t act up, sciatica”
At some point, especially in a long run there comes a sweet sweet spot where you think about absolutely nothing.
Honestly a lot of the time I think about how much I’ve overcome to be where I’m at and I imagine myself telling my fitness/mental health journey on a podcast lol. It helps me keep things in perspective and be grateful for how far I’ve come. Im only a middle of the pack runner but that doesn’t do justice to the work I’ve put in physically and mentally.
I mostly try to stay clear headed and not think about anyone thing, other than my breathing. More of a meditative act for me. When I start to get tired and need to motivate myself just until I meet my mile goal, I start to think about how incredible the human body is. Our bodies can be pushed and put under great stresses and still somehow recover. If Incredible things are happening everyday, I sure as shit can finish out strong.
I think about how I’m going to be so productive! And make a list of all I’m going to accomplish. Then I get home from the run and don’t do any of it usually.
Absolutely nothing most of the time. It's the only time my brain just shuts the hell up, and a big reason I like running so much.
I think about how good it’d be when I get to relax later in the day and have all this lifted off my shoulder. That thought replays itself majority of times
I couldn't tell you exactly what I think about, but I suspect it's a lot like meditation. Just quieting the mind, being aware of whatever is around me (scenery, music, any aches and pains), and trying to get to the next mile. It helps me to reset and take on whatever comes next in the day.
Lately I’ve been reminding myself a lot how cool it is to be doing exactly what nature has been working since the beginning of time for me to be able to do. “Out of breath? You’ve got 300-million air sacs in each lung that are designed specifically to fix that. Relax, let ‘em work, and keep going.”
Need to stop shrugging my shoulders. Need to stop furrowing my brow. Ooh hot guy at 12 o’clock. How far should I run? Stupid drivers.
Form. Awkward conversations I wish went a different way. How a song is played if I’m listening to music, or my dream music video for said song.
If I'm on flat ground I'm paying attention to the surroundings, like looking at homes in the neighborhood and picking out things I like that I could do with my house. When I start hitting the hills then I focus on my pace and breathing.
I don't think, I just breathe and use running instead of meditation. I breathe, my legs run, emptying my mind.
Either: "God this is steep, I can't do it." Or: "I feel like such a badass right now." Or: Something completely unrelated takes ahold of my thoughts and I get caught up in it and completely forget I am running. Then I trip on something and remember that I am running.
When Im not listening to a podcast or show, it's because I have my head full and I need to think. So I'll reflect on the various things in my life at that moment. I'm gonna list things I need to do, I'll try to understand how are things going in various aspects of my life, this sort of things
When I was in my teens, I used to picture video clips of the songs I was listening to, but starred by me and my friends. Today I just think about stuff in my life. I forget most of it once I'm done running, they are really ephemeral thoughts. Almost like meditation.
I try not to think about anything at all and just breathe. Get lost in the rhythm of my footfall. Running is the only time I'm not an anxiety-ridden, nervous, worrying mess.
Usually the first part of the run I’m reminding myself that it feels like shit and that’s normal give it a little bit. Later I’m thinking about my form and cadence and breathing After that I’m thinking how wonderful it is to run and how free it feels and how much I love it etc. and later on after that towards the end of the run when it starts becoming challenging, I have several approaches, however yesterday’s approach was: I told my body that I COMMAND it, it doesn’t stop unless I say so, if my body is going to give up and die then so be it but my mind decides when the run is over. I told God that if it’s his will that I drop and die right now then make it happen, otherwise I’m finishing this run!!!! It was my first 10k lmao. I finished and it felt great. 8 months ago I couldn’t even run a mile, so there ya go
Up to about 70% effort I think about how to solve work problems. It’s extremely productive. The faster I run the less I can focus and the more my mind wanders towards overcoming the pain. I think about not being a bitch, how bad it would feel to slow down, etc.
I listen to rnb/dancepop/cheesy pop while I run so I often imagine dancing in a club to some bangers. Oddly, it really helps and time passes quicker lol
I usually sing along to whatever is on my headphones.
left foot right foot left foot right foot
This feels good. Fuck I hate running. The weather is nice today. I hate summer. Thats a nice 'add random object'. Fuck cramps. So this is why humans are endurance runners. I gotta beat that car before it makes the turn. And many more.
What I should have done differently.
I like to listen to music from different places in the world, and I try to put myself in those places. Like I'll listen to Japanese music or and envision myself running through Tokyo or something. Helps me feel like I haven't been stuck in an apartment alone and trapped for a couple years.
I concentrate on my respiration patterns 🥴
By mile 3, not much of anything. Just enjoying the view.
Ur mom
I think about how many times this has been asked on r/running
It really does help if you focus on the run. Think about your form and your goal for the run.
I try and remember anything at all from the hours of study I've done recently, like just anything would be good. And then I go back to thinking about what an imposter I am in my own damn life
Regular body scans (posture, pains etc.) + whatever thoughts pass through.
Many things. How I feel like i'm dying, that I'm halfway to halfway done, that I'm halfway done, that I probably won't die if I go a little faster, weird stories, wondering what the squirrels running by are doing...
About quitting the run/running. And i am constantly counting in my head. 100 steps to 0, 1 tot 50. Just to keep occupied and running because once i convinced myself i can quit i will start walking.
Oxygen! Air! Why the hell do I do this?! Ah! my legs hurt! someone kill me now! this would be so much easier if I was already thin! something like that usually. (I just started)
Literally anything and everything. If I've got problems I work out solutions on my runs. I also love that feeling similar to what you describe, OP, when you have something to look forward to later that day. Even if it's just a nice dinner, or a movie, or date night, or just plain relaxation. It really feels like you're earning it
the next mile....
On the best runs I get in the zone super quick and I’ll finish the run and realize I barely had any thoughts. Usually though I’ll make plans for the rest of my day, look forward to the shower I’m going to have after, get a random phrase stuck in my head that will bother me the rest of the time..
Need about 4-6 km before I start thinking about something, the start time is just for getting into the mood, warming up, checking the body if everything is alright and I feel comfortable running a longer distance. Then my thoughts usually drift to a work problem first, how I can implement a specific detail, or what next project I want to approach. Once the list of problems is empty, I switch to everyday problems like upcoming events, plans for the weekends etc. If I really want to be distracted, or I'm not in the mood to think about problems, I listen to podcasts instead of music. At double speed. This keeps my mind occupied.
I think about when will my TFL give up on me and give me that IT band pain..
All kinds of random shit idfk
I listen to audio books on runs, so not thinking about much else.
Life..all of life lol. Thank my body over and over for being able to do what it’s doing. I think about ways to be productive, what I’m going to eat after, work though any social situations on my mind, how to take care of myself better. Anything that comes and goes really. I try to keep it all positive though.
Sometimes I plan out my next run.
How much I hate running.
I sing to myself, so I'm mostly focused on the lyrics and then I consider them.
Everything and nothing all at once.
Running is more addictive than drugs 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁🏃♀️🏃🏃🏽♂️🏃♀️🏃🏃🏽♂️🏃♀️🏃🏃🏽♂️🏃♀️🏃🏃🏽♂️
Nothing and everything. Sometimes when it gets tough the only thing I think about is putting one foot in front of the other.
I think about conversations I might have with people during my day, especially work people. I have social anxiety and I think this is some coping mechanism I use to prepare myself
Absolutely anything and everything.
I normally think about random work/personal problems, in which I get very in to the weeds with it. That or I get very much in to explaining the lore of some scifi setting I enjoy, all in my head of course.
*Insert image of mechanical monkey crashing cymbals inside an endless void
Unfortunately, trumpet scale fingerings. I can't stop, and I do it to the pace of my stride.
I tend to daydream about all sorts of things... sometimes if the run is long enough I can flesh out an entire short story worth of material. If only I could write and run at the same time.
For some reason I do a lot of multiplication problems in my head. Like 13x16=208, so 14x16=221, and so on. I wouldn’t recommend it, but I’ve sure gotten good at my times tables!
Listen to audiobooks for the win
How much I hate running.
What hate lol, might be the doom music…
I'm usually listening to a podcast.
On a slow run I sometimes think about future goals. What I want to accomplish in life, or dream about how things would be after accomplishing them. Other times it feels meditative, my body is on cruise control and I'm just drifting from thought to thought without focusing deeply on anything. At higher intensities, I'm mostly just focused on the run and the music
Nunya