What do you think about while you run?
 

This feels like a really strange question, but what do you think about while you are running? I was sharing with some other chicks in a C25K thread that I didn't think I could do the 5 minute runs, and CruiseCAT's advice was, "Listen to your body and you'll know what to do". And she is right; it's my mind that is telling me I can't keep going. My body is doing just fine.

So I think the issue is that I'm listening to the weird music on the Robert Ulrey podcasts and just kind of waiting for him to say, "Time to walk". The few times that I've been able to disengage my mind and think about something else, the time goes by very quickly but when I'm just staring at the track and praying for him to tell me to walk, I feel like I can barely make it!

So what do you think about while you run? Is it a time to solve problems? A time to think about bigger things, like world peace or politics? A time to try to get all Zen? I'd love to come back feeling refreshed and mentally clear; right now I'm still at the "sore and tired" phase but I want to train properly both mentally and physically.

Please share!

I do agree with you. I am also doing Ulrey's podcasts when I run, and when I am listening to it, I just wait for his voice to stay to slow back down to my brisk walking pace. When I disengage my mind, however, time goes by quickly. I try to just think about my day, my plans for when I get home, or even doing random math problems, like 247/19 or 1068/7. It sounds weird, but it keeps my mind off running.

I think about the running. I don't really think about much else. Some things pop into my mind but I mostly think about the running. It's not easy for me though, so I suppose that is why I do it. When I walk I think about all sorts of things.

this is so true...i often run my best when i have something on my mind.

If something is bothering me i love to go for a run, and blow of the steam. I love feeling really passionate about something (whether its good or bad) when i go running, it really gets me going.

But on the morning i get up at 6 and would rather eat 10 cheeseburgers straight up then go for a run, i look ahead to a certain point, and say "only that far to go, you can stop at that street/lamppost/bench chair" Then when i get to that point i look further ahead and say, thats not to bad now to the next street/lamp post/ bench chair/whatever.

It works for me. Sometimes i look down at my legs and see the muscles moving and just think about how toned running can make your legs, and i imagine myself having amazing legs. Or i picture an out fit i would love to wear for a special occasion, and i just imagine what it would feel like walking in and having everyone look at you, and just feeling great in general!

TARRYN- I used to be that way! It really helped my get through the runs. But since I am doing to couch to 5k program, I just stop when the podcast says stop and go when it says go. Maybe I will revert back to that when I am finished with the program and there are days when I feel I can't do it!

hahah. There are many things you can do!

You defintaly need somehting to think about. I really struggle when i don't have my ipod though. I need some really uplifting sort of music to tell me i can do it!

The best one is Destiny's Child- Survivor hahaha i know its old, but feeling your feet pound on the pavemenet listening to that song is amazing!

I like to have some kind of distraction. When I'm on the treadmill, I usually watch TV. I take my ipod when I run by myself. And when I do my long run with my group, we chat. When I'm running by myself, I find I do often zone off into my own thoughts, wrestling with issues or making plans, or just being in the moment. But, I like to have some "background noise".

When I run I may be daydreaming, or thinking how awesome is it that I can even run. I also like looking at my watch/treadmill and seeing how much time is left. Like if there are 30min left I think to myself, 30 minutes is only three intervals of 10 minutes. I've done 10minutes before, I can totally do this! And sometimes I countdown the minutes. Not because my body is killing me, because my mind gets bored (especially on the treadmill).

I was JUST thinking about this very thing the other day!

I solve the world's problems during running. Or more specifically, all the problems in my world. It can be so scatterbrained, but running is my time to just de-program and process everything that happened during the day as well as anything that's lingering in my mind. It's like talk therapy with no outrageous hourly fees.

I only made it to Week 3 with Mr. Ulrey. Then I used my own music and running got sooooo much better. :D Now when I run I daydream, make up stories in my head, think about things that are bothering me, use the time to plan, etc. Occasionally I'll get bored while running, but not very often. If I do, it's usually a sign that I need some new tunes. :)

Ah, this is known as the dreaded "WALL" DUN DUN DUUUUN! :devil::)

During my easy runs of the start of my long runs I think about everything and anything and towards the end of my long runs I tend to argue with myself.....hitting the wall that is all too familiar with runners.

I call it "zen-ing out" that's where I go... I think about everything and nothing...

I actually really like techno, so I've been enjoying Ullrey's music. There is usually lots to do when running: I focus on my dog, the other people/animals on the path, the beautiful scenery, and my HRM. I'm running with a friend tomorrow morning, and while we tend to chat while walking, we each put on headphones and focus when it comes time to run.

Week 4 music on the Ullrey podcasts was a lot better than last week. It was a little more guitar and a little less "European 80's Disco" (or what I imagine European 80's disco might be!). I'm running on a high school track, so I can't distract myself with TV. I'm thinking about remodeling, so tonight I tried planning floor and shower tile to distract myself. I think it helped!

If I'm at the gym I watch a TV show as distraction. Otherwise, just life I suppose.

So far I really like the music in the podcast so I just think about the beat. However when I hit the dreaded wall it is all about trying to motivate myself to keep going

I was just thinking about this... I don't use an iPod anymore, and I run in the woods, so there's a lot of stuff to look at and think about. There's quarter-mile markers along the trail I use. Yesterday's run went like this:

"Oh man, time to start running, this is going to suck, I can't do this... that dog over there is sure cute, though, I love how clumsy his run is... oh no, I'm going to have to pass that walker up there, and they're going to see how slow and jiggly I am.... okay, good, passed them, almost at the quarter mile post, hey, this is going pretty well today, I feel good! Hmm, there's a runner coming back down the other side of the trail, should I say hi or not? Guess not, they ignored me, here comes the three quarter mile post... wow, I can't believe how strong I feel today, usually I'm gasping and wanting to turn around by now... maybe I should try for the mile and a quarter post, I've never made it that far before... I can't believe the scale said 184 this morning, grumble grumble, it should be 2 pounds lower than that... what's that making those bushes rustle over there? Whatever it is, I hope it runs slower than me. Wow, passing the mile post! I've never even seen this part of the trail! Wow, that runner said hi! I can't believe I'm actually running up this damn hill! I used to see people doing this and be so jealous. Mile and a quarter! Sweet! Time to turn around and run back. I am so posting this on Facebook."

:)

I think about all kinds of things

Sometimes I work on problems or issues

Sometimes I make plans and todo lists in my head

Sometimes I think about stuff people have posted...I've come up with some really good "essay" type posts after a long run

Sometimes I let my imagination wander and I pretend to be someone else. I have won the Olympics many a time.

I never run with music or podcasts unless I am on a treadmill. I just run and appreciate the world most of the time. I have 2 young kids, running is the only time I can hear myself think.

lolololol :rofl::rofl::rofl: That is SO me. I don't use an ipod either and I run through the woods too but I end up on a country lane and then up a hill beside the main road on the way home. But I'm so like that as well - my mind wanders like crazy and I always think people are going to notice how slow and jiggly I am when I pass them too lol. And I too set markers for myself whether it be a tree, a shadow, a post or whatever and I'm constantly surprised at how much faster and stronger I am getting. I LOVED your summary!

I usually think about my class I have this summer. I have a field class for biology and we are going hiking in the Rocky Mountains here in Colorado and I refuse to be the person at the end of the line. I did that all semester for my forest ecology field trips and I refuse to do it again.

Whatever problems I started off worried about at the beginning of my run all seem more manageable by the time I'm done. I'm sure the endorphin rush is part of that. Do you guys find the same thing?

On treadmill, I watch tv. If I'm running outside, I don't even listen to music. I just pay attention to my running, breathing, heart rate (I wear a monitor), and sometimes enjoy the scenary passing by. Even with a TV on, I can't run on a treadmill for more than 30 minutes out of boredom. Runing outside, I can run much longer.

I listen to my favorite music, thinking about what going on in my life, or day dreaming. As long as I have good music to listen to, my run just flies by. :)

Today I was thinking and saying to myself..... the fat is melting off, soon I will have no belly fat, no back fat, no but fat, and no leg fat. Size 12 jeans here I come. Thinking about shopping for clothes, wearing my goal swim suit and looking good again. Showing off my body. Having people say 'wow you worked really hard didn't you?' Riding my horses alot again. Feeling good. Fat melting..... I jogged the longest that I have since I started today. Good motivation. They say you have to picture what you want to achieve it. I am going to start to picture me in that swimsuit without the bulgy fat.

Absolutely. :) In fact, when I am stressed out from life, all I can think about is getting home so I can go running and work out my stress. What was bothering me when I start out seems "more manageable" as you put it by the end of the run... and I do think the endorphins have something to do with that. I have noticed since I started regularly exercising that I have much less anxiety in day to day life.

lol, I think about what I am going to look like when I reach goal... about vacationing on the beach and wearing a bikini, about going dancing and feeling sexy, I think about turning heads when I walk down the street :) lol, all vain thinking, I know... but hey, if it makes me run harder, why not?

Fatpants and Dancerindenver---I agree competely. I have been upset over something and found myself thinking "I can cry or I can sweat.........where are my running shoes?"

The music I'm listening to. I sing along while I run (in my head because I don't have enough breath to do it outloud. LOL!)

I am so ADD, my brain is hard to settle into one solid thought. LOL!

When I am running inside, it's around my ping pong table, so I'm generally thinking about not hitting the corners. I can't go into a zone.

When I'm outside, I'm usually taking in my surroundings and trying to enjoy the scenery. My mind usually wanders to my weight loss journey, how far I've come, where I'm going, and where I'll be when.

I think about things or nothing. I solve life problems, I daydream. I win the olympics.

I can only do this when running outside. No music

Inside I watch TV.

At the moment as I've only just finished Week 2 of the C25K all I can think about is the running lol. I find that it's not my feet or legs that are the problem but my breathing. By the end of the interval I feel like I am getting so I can't breathe anymore. I just hope that improves as the weeks go on.
But my whole reason for learning to run is so that I can still exercise when we are away and I can't get to the gym, and I am hoping that when I reach that point then I will be able to either enjoy the scenery or think through my day etc.
Visualising the fat melting and getting into smaller clothes is a very good idea. I might try that tomorrow and see if it helps get me through my run.

I think about everything...i put my ipod in my ears...turn the music up and just go...i use it as my time of the day to gather all of my thoughts about whatver it is that is going on in my life...

I usually think about how I am in charge of my body and that it really is mind over matter that my legs can carry me and I can breathe properly. I think about how strong I am becoming and that 5k really isn't very far. I guess I have a lot of mind chatter focusing on the actual run.
My dog helps me out by pulling me at times :D

:lol:

that is probably the funniest thing I've ever read on here!!!

I like to get into a "zone" with techno droning pumping music and then think about how awesome I will look in a little bikini top with a long hippie skirt and a wooden bracelet. Don't even ask me WHY I think of this outfit but for some reason it makes me feel great while running!

~CGH~

I do alot of things other ppl said. Like Fatpants I solve the problems in my world. When I Really can't get into to it I (A) (being outside) keeps saying if I make it to the whatever street I can stop but then I get there just do it again or (B) If I am on the TM I just say make it 5 more minutes until I get to the 30 min or hour whatever.
I jut make sure I have really good music and I just let my mind go...

keep going...keep going...just another second..and another..and another..and another...don't fall on that rock...keep going...keep going.

yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

Sometime I count my steps, and try to measure my distance with them. It's like the math problems, but applicable to what I'm doing. Also, it makes me a little crazy, so I'm not sure if I recommend it. I also like to plan out my food for the day.

I also keep repeating the following.....................jiggle off the fat, jiggle off th fat................you get the idea ..lol

When I'm walking, I can think about just about anything. The great song playing on my MP3 player, that dumb show on the gym tv, family stuff. When I'm running, though, it's all I can do to concentrate on just making it through the running interval. If I manage to fit in a coherent thought, I mostly think about not falling off the treadmill LOL