[Generous Hypocrisy]

When you reach that point whilst running when you just think that you can't go on and you need to stop.

How do you make yourself carry on?

Just think it would be interesting to see what others do.

I tend to tell myself how much better I'll feel/look if I complete it.
How much better I will play this coming season by just being fitter.

 

[Nat]

I had this a couple of times yesterday when it was really warm. I almost slowed down to a walk, but just before I got there I said 'no, just go a bit slower, but don't walk'. When I do that I find I jog just a couple of steps and then get back into my normal stride.

 

[zanshin]

I have certain songs on my ipod that i play when i need motivation:d

 

[Hrun]

Ten minutes.

If I reach it I can stop. When I get there I do the next ten minutes.

 

[Ito]

When you reach that point whilst running when you just think that you can't go on and you need to stop.

How do you make yourself carry on?

Just think it would be interesting to see what others do.

I tend to tell myself how much better I'll feel/look if I complete it.
How much better I will play this coming season by just being fitter.

In between runs I think about how much I love being out on the road and the sense of achievement I feel and the general sense of well being I have for the rest of the day after a long one!!

Again, I am a simple man

 

[roadrunner84]

'I've never stopped yet and I'm not about to now' is pretty much what I tell myself heh nothing wrong with slowing the pace a little bit when you can practically swim in lactic acid!

 

[timebandit]

Theres been plenty of times that I've felt like stopping and taking a break. The two things I do to keep going are:

1) I ask myself am I willing to admit is that all I really have - Theres always more in the tank, you just can't use it until you've used to the other stuff first.

2) I remind myself that I always know more about myself at the end of a race or a hard training session, then I did at the beginning. Sometimes if you just slow down a little bit, it can help you to keep going for miles more!)

 

[m4tty]

I posted this a while back. Have a read and I hope it helps. It's also a coincidence that I posted something about motivation on my blog this very day.

IMHO it comes down to being honest with yourself. If you stop, deep down do you believe you could have carried on? If the answer is yes then you've only cheated yourself.

 

[JBBury]

I just keep going and tell myself if I stop I'm a quitter, and there is no way I will allow myself to be defined as such. I have cut an intended long run to a shorter run if I'm not feeling up to it, but I've never stopped and started walking or anything. If I go out to run I run a course, whether it is long or short.

 

[Taurus]

When I first joined here I was doing a lot of reading past threads etc. The one piece of advice that was given (sorry I can't remember who said it) was "even if you feel you could walk faster, keep running!"
Every time I get to the point of giving up,I slow down so I think I could probably walk faster, but I won't stop running.

 

[Kraut]

It helps me to think of my goal - the Enschede or London Marathon in April. I´m daydreaming about running the last few hundred meters of the marathon and how happy I´ll be to reach the finish line, surrounded by the cheering of the spectators, beeing my own personal hero that day.
That thought always helps me to get in a good mood when I´m bored while running as well.
Another thing is to open my eyes wide, keep my head up and focus on a point far away.

 

[richardsimkiss]

I think when I'm struggling and the central governor I ask myself it's pain making me want to stop, or discomfort... if it's pain, somethings wrong and I need to stop! if it's discomfort, then I just remind myself that I'll never get to where I want to be by stopping!

 

[Squint]

I always remind myself that there are others far worse off than I and what they might give to be able to do this for fun. That and I'm a stubborn git, I like the Lance Armstrong quote "pain is temperary failure is permanent".

 

[JBBury]

I think I also tell myself that if I don't carry on with this running lark there is a good chance I will get fat again. I will not allow that to happen. So whenever a run gets too tough and I feel like giving up I ask myself "don't you want to keep this fabulous body in tip top shape?"

 

[Steve]

I was wondering how I'd get motivated again after Davos..London to Brighton next year has sorted that out!

So maybe entering somethingnew/different for you is sometimes the answer.

 

[Kraut]

Another motivation or at least a deviation is to learn another language while running. I started to learn dutch and am sometimes listening to the learning CD ( that I´ve converted into MP3 files ) on my mp3 player. The most important dutch phrases will be translated and I have to repeat them twice. That keeps my mind away from thinking of beeing tired.

 

[Steve]

Like that idea Kraut.

 

[MSI64]

I normally give myself a damn good bollocking out loud!!!Motivates me and scares everyone else around me especially when I have my Ipod on full volume.

 

[richardsimkiss]

lol... that'd scare the sh!t outta me if some bloke with army clobber came running past shouting things at himself :s

 

[Nhudgell]

If I run a certain amount of miles per week, I allow myself to get an english breakfast from the canteen on a friday!!