For myself, running clears the mind, slows it down and allows me to be mindful of the world around me. I normally head out for my runs at about 4:30 a.m. here on the east end of LI. No external entertainment except nature. I much prefer running in the dark. I find it cozy and I have the world to myself. I have experienced moments of spirituality when I look up at the beauty of the starlit skies. I’m reminded of a quote from Jane Austen that says; “life is a quick succession of busy nothings”. Long runs, any runs, are the balm for that. Thank you for the great tips.
All good stuff - thanks. For me I much prefer loops to out and backs and I make a lot of use of feeling thankful for being able to run healthy and injury free at my age (73). Long runs are always easy runs and I get myself out there with the promise that all I have to commit to is keeping putting one foot in front of the other regardless of pace. I have never learned to run with music: I prefer to let my mind wander as it will - but I bring it back to positive thoughts when I begin to notice I have slipped into negativity, frustration or anger. It does happen. I have been wondering about trying podcasts however. I'll give segments a go instead of counting k - thanks for the tip. All the best.
There are many runs I do without music so I can enjoy what’s around me, and like you, focus on thankfulness. I have listened to podcasts. If you find one you like, they are a good distraction. Thanks so much, Norman, for the feedback and sharing. I appreciate it!
Thks R. Love your helpful tips. Synovial fluid. U have a great way of breaking down the pieces. Please tell us more about it, how to build up and repair it.
Segments works for me too, you feel good ticking them off. Been listening to The Day of the Jackal an audio book - getting engrossed in a good book is wonderful. And my post run reward is porridge, with extra whey protein, chopped banana, spoon of home made (lo salt no sugar) peanut butter and lo fat natural yoghurt. And feeling grateful when you are not injured🙏 happy long runs everyone.❤
Perfect timing. I’m in a training regime to get me to a comfortable half marathon. My biggest problem is keeping my motivation up during a long run. I have to keep my mind off of thinking about how many more miles there are to go. Long distance, for me, seems to be more about the mental and not about the physical challenge.
I so look forward to running long n longer runs. I always run in the woods. No one is there hardly. Peaceful. Currently switched to the Maffetone runs. Slower but allowing me to Run with a foot issue. Retiring asap and I’ll spend even longer running. Run ably 6-7 hours weekly but increasing longer long runs to Build up to a 50k in august
I also love trail running and longer runs. Doing the 50K will be a great achievement. Have fun with your training. Thanks, Wally, for watching the video and sharing!
To build miles, we need the easy pace. For me, it sometimes takes effort to keep the pace easy. I'll zone out and later realize my heart rate and pace have increased. Thanks for sharing, Mark!