Just completed the 1st workout of week 5 of my run/walk programme and am feeling pleased and much relieved with myself. I managed 3 x 5 mins jogging with 3 x 3 mins walking in between. I have to say it's much easier when I go with the two other people that are doing it with me than when I go on Sunday mornings by myself.

On Thursday it will be 8 mins jog, walk, 5 mins jog, walk, 8 mins jog and then Sunday is the one I'm most concerned about as it's jogging for 20 mins with no walking. I don't really have much of a positive mental attitude and can feel/hear myself talking me out of it already. ETA - Although my two friends will be with me on Sunday so that's some motivation for me.

How do you cultivate your PMA? Have you got any hints or tips for me please?

Thanks

JUDE

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Run like a warrior - as advised by Cheriton
Not like a farmer - as pointed out by hubby!

Do not use negative words check out my signature tortoise and while your about change your name to warrior or something that'll be a start hold your head up walk and run like you mean it!!! come on let's do it together you go first!!

Nooooooooooooooo don't talk yourself out of it.

You have worked this hard so far, it will be such a massive achievement that when you complete it the elation you will feel afterwards will be immense, as strange as that might sound you will feel like you have completed a race.

Keep telling yourself that you can do it, go nice and slow you will get there.

Running can be as much about mental attitude as it can be physical, so my philosophy is "DO IT DO IT"

I hope this helps

TT

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots Oh what have I done FLM09

Progression is my main source of motivation... thinking about how far you've come should really make you realise how worthwhile it's been so far!

on thurs you'll be doing 21mins with only 2 walk breaks... the step to 20mins non-stop isn't as big as you think it is... though once you've done it you'll be elated

Set off on Sunday at a nice steady pace that's feels like nothing, almost like you could do it all day... then hopefully 20mins later, you might not feel like you could be doing it all day, but you'll have been going for a fair chunk of time! Once you've done it once, you'll know you can do it again and be able to start picking the pace up

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RF Winter Social @ Castle Combe - Judgement day has arrived
www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Lady Godiva Half Marathon' Race Report Added 27/10/08

This works for me:
Picture yourself sat at home the evening after your run. First, imagine that you started the run and gave up half way - how would that feel???. Crap isn't it?
Then, picture yourself having completed the run successfully - you can actually feel the glow of satisfaction. Then, if you feel a temptation to give up during the run - just think back to the two post-run feelings and focus on which one you'd rather have.

i tend to develop mantras that i repeat in my head in time with my strides or in time with my breathing.. especially useful for focussing the mind when struggling..

like "strong and smooth" or "fast and light"

also it helps (me) to have a mental image of your goal... in my case usually a race finish line or a significant milestone.. when i feel like giving in i can conur up this image, visually and the feelings or emotions i'd be having at the time.. and spurs me on to not give up!

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Thank you for your replies, I've taken them all on board and will start with the visualisation tonight. I will use a mantra too and I shall think positively about the run on the day.

I got my training prog wrong for tonight. I thought it was run 8 min, then run 5 min and then again 8 mins, but apparently it was just two lots of 8 mins so shorter than I expected, which was kind of nice.

After Sunday's longer duration it goes back down again on Tuesday so hopefully that will feel easier.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. Twenty minutes is a far, far cry from your 37hours and 14minutes Ed M

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Run like a warrior - as advised by Cheriton
Not like a farmer - as pointed out by hubby!

Well tell us how you get on......

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots Oh what have I done FLM09

+1, hope the run goes well.

Keep using your mantras on the way round, I have a couple that I use and find they always seem to help.

I did it, I did it!!!

This morning we decided to postpone our first 20 minute run until Tuesday as it was thick snow outside and I'm not the steadiest on my feet even when I'm walking! However, by 6.30pm it had mostly gone but I had nobody to run with, which I have found harder in the past.

I decided not to let that stop me and I drove to a new area, put on my music and started on my mantra "slimmer, fitter, stronger, longer". I told myself that I wouldn't look at my watch until the fourth song had finished and when it did I'd been running for 9 mins 47 secs, so I ran a bit further to a line I could see and then turned around and headed back to the car. I started struggling at about 15 mins but told myself that I had recently done 2 x 8 mins (with some walking in between) so that was as good as 16 mins. When I looked at my watch again it was almost 17 mins and then my favourite song was playing and so I let that carry me on for a bit. I could see the car but realised I wasn't going to make it to that even though it wasn't too far so I checked my watch and it was 20 mins 10 secs. Hurrah!!!!!

It was a lovely run along the sea front and I thoroughly enjoyed a good 85% of it. My recovery time wasn't too bad at all either although my face is still scarlet but that was from wind/snow burn this morning from taking my son out to see snow for the first time.

Thanks once again for all your support. This site and my training shoes have been a godsend! Thanks for those who recommend the Running Made Easy book. It's really very enjoyable. Owain - I think it might be a good read for your missus if you wanted to try and encourage her some more. I got it from my local library, so it might be at yours. I've also borrowed a book called ChiRunning http://www.chirunning.com/shop/home.php which I think is very interesting and could be very helpful for me. Has anyone else read this?

If you've read this far give yourself a shiny!

Thanks again
Jude

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Run like a warrior - as advised by Cheriton
Not like a farmer - as pointed out by hubby!

Yes, I have... well, not all of it... I'm about half way. It does work, or it has for me anyway

Sounds like a great run you had... well done!

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100k on a Crosstrainer.. for the bears
https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/100kcrosstrainerchallenge

Excellent stuff Jude, really really really well done! See - we told you that you could do it!

So happy for you! Though I feel a little sorry for your friend who hasn't done it yet but will have to manage on tues instead knowing that you've already done it! heheh!

So what's your next target to aim for?

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RF Winter Social @ Castle Combe - Judgement day has arrived
www.richardsimkiss.co.uk - 'Lady Godiva Half Marathon' Race Report Added 27/10/08

Well done Tortoise - I bet you're feeling on cloud nine after that

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I feel good... da da da da da da

That is tremendous news well done, and even more so for doing it by yourself it could have been so easy to take the soft option and think that if your friend wasn't running then you didn't have to either, you must feel so elated.

Give yourself a shiney too (help someone what is a shiney )

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots Oh what have I done FLM09

Sterling effort, Tortoise! I love reading these stories of the moment that everything starts falling into place. Keep us posted on your progress