Running Thoughts: What’s Racing Through Your Mind?
Do you ever have a run where you started thinking about one thing and by the end of the run you were thinking about something completely different? Somehow by the end of however many minutes, you have covered a whole book on a subject? I’m sure I’m not the only runner who has some entertaining running thoughts! My runs tend to be broken up into three types of running thoughts.
Running Thoughts: List Making
Are you the kind of runner that makes lists while you’re out for a run? Maybe the run passes faster for you by planning the rest of your day. I’ve been known to make a whole packing list in my mind while out for a run. However if I don’t write it down soon after my run, I tend to forget it! It’s not often that I resort to list making on a run but it does happen.
Running Thoughts: Story Telling
This is probably one of my favorites but it has gotten me lost before. I keep my long runs conversational which means there’s a good chance I’ll be talking if I have a partner. Whether it’s retelling what I saw on TV a few days ago or a silly joke, I like to talk during long runs. However, I will admit that I’ve been so caught up in my chatting that I’ve gotten lost on a new running route! Now I listen to guided runs on the Peloton app and stick to familiar routes while letting them do the story telling. The guided runs on the app always let you know when you’re halfway so you can simply turn around and head back the way you came!
Running Thoughts: The Mathematicians
This is not one of my favorites but I have done it before. Math has never been my strong suit and I’m terrible at doing it in my head. This kind of running thought tends to be my last resort and usually comes from a lack of motivation. Some runners love to break their run into chunks and do the math in their head. This will help them see how much ground they’ve covered so far. By doing these mental gymnastics, they’re able to settle in and get through the run. However I’m so bad at math that this usually frustrates me. I’ll often get struck trying to do the same problem over and over in my head which I guess passes the time but it’s not fun to me! For some people this is the only way they’ll get through a run so more power to them!
What about you? What do you find yourself thinking about when you’re running?
