What Do I Think About When I Run?
So Do I Think When Running? I find my mind wanders between the sensations of the run, evaluation of things in my head, emptiness and confrontational thoughts.Let’s take each of these one by one. By the way, these are my naming conventions, I hope they help.
Sensations of the Run
Without fail, every time I start a run I am immediately engulfed in the sensations of the run:-
- What is the temperature like? Am I cold? Will it rain? Do I need gloves? Etc. This as you can understand is a list which is ever-evolving depending on the time of year and weather.
- How do I feel health-wise? Am I tired? Do I have niggles? Does anything hurt? How is that injury? For the most part, I have already considered this or I wouldn’t be running.
- When I do set off post-injury it’s how that ankle/knee/thigh etc feels. This likely goes one of three ways. 1 stop and go back, 2 monitor and take it easy, 3 get to it!
- Where shall I run? I do try and establish this pre-run but from time to time I change plans once I’ve set off.
- Another regular thought is “This feels hard, breathing is tough”. Nearly every time until it all settles down usually about five minutes in.
- The alternate is “This feels good, how is my timing for the first Km?”. Not a common experience for me, unfortunately.
- This surface is slippery, dry, uneven, feels good. Usually reserved for new courses.
- This is a nice place to run, so peaceful and pretty. Usually reserved for holidays.
- You can really see Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter. Definitely country runs.
- I like this song it’s pumping me up. If I’ve got headphones and a good mix to listen to.
Evaluation of Things in My Head
Like most people, there are many competing priorities in life. Once I’ve got through the sensations of the run (they do flit in and out, especially if getting injured)I move on to the next phase.
- What do I need to do? How will I do it? Is there a better way? Running often clears my mind and gives me self-approval to move forward.
- Working through scenarios yet to happen. This could be almost a mental rehearsal of how something, possibly months in the future might turn out. I even get to the level of conversation. What are the words I will use?
- Running often reminds me I’d forgotten something.
- I have noticed these thoughts are often pretty bullish.
Emptiness
The evaluation goes on for a period of time. It varies that’s all I know as the next phase kind of creeps up. I often wonder if this is the part that keeps me running.
- I don’t really think of anything.
- My mind is wandering with no resting place.
- I’m sometimes aware of my breathing or body movement but it feels a little detached
- I find myself much further along the run anticipated.
- I feel good.
If you have ever meditated you may appreciate an awareness and then mind wandering. Your thoughts have no direction and bounce around freely. For me running is almost like a form of meditation at times.
Confrontational
Finally, I thought the last phase was time or location-based but now think it’s a bit of time and circumstance combined. Let me explain.
- Sometimes when I’m deep Into a run such as more than 5Km I sometimes think of things a little .. I’m not sure how to say this .. a little angrily
- For example I run up a hill that has traffic and is single-lane.
- There is no pavement.
- A car may be coming down the hill at speed and not slow or pull over to let me pass safely
- I have to get out of the way, sometimes jumping. This makes me angry.
- Today a car with a trailer was trying to turn right i.e. in the same direction I was running. The driver saw me and kindly let me pass. The driver then swung out behind me and overtook me after 50 metres or so.
- Unfortunately, as he was now moving quickly while navigating the car around me he swung the trailer towards me. Nearly hitting me. This makes me angry.
- Another example is a car that might be positioned badly e.g. two cars, one driving behind me and one in front of me. The car behind has the right of way. The car in front pulls up just by me to let the rear car pass. I have to stop or run around the now parked car in front of me while trying not to be hit by the car behind that is overtaking the car in front. This makes me angry.
After considering writing this article I came to the conclusion.
- It’s really about the danger to me or inconvenience on my run.
- It is location-based as it happens in similar places e.g. narrow lanes or where i’ve experienced an incident.
- It rarely happens earlier in a run. That might be because the blood is not flowing so fiercely.
- As a runner and cyclist, I like to think I drive a car more considerately.
- Cyclists’ pelotons cause me anger sometimes too. Another article for them in the future.
- I wondered out loud as to whether this was all testosterone-related.
- My clever wife had probably a better idea. She pointed out we are not too far removed from the caveman so running and other physical activities may light up certain primeval feelings. I like that idea.
I surprised myself while writing this. I had to change it a few times after running again. In summary, my mind is skipping around. From moments of serenity to imagining the future and then being in flight or fight mode. The phases do overlap and move but the abode is generally my thought path.
I hope you found this of interest. Please let me know what you think about when running in the comments.
TLDR – running is as much mental as physical. Sometimes the mind controls you positively, sometimes not so. Choose positive.
