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Shut Down the Negative Voice on Your Next Run

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You’re out for a run and then you hear it – that voice.

You turn up your music, but it’s still there.

The voice that tells you that you can’t run one more step, that you’ll never shave time off your mile, that there is no way you’ll be able to run 13.1 miles, that you’ll never be faster than you were last year or than the 80-year-old that just passed you.

Yup, that voice.

If it sounds familiar that’s because it is…it’s the worst part of you, your ego, your fear. The one that let’s you get caught up in comparisons on Instagram and judges every run by the splits on your watch. That voice is so extremely powerful, that we have to consciously CHOOSE to work against it.

And why wouldn’t we? Kicking that bad boy to the curb is going to improve your running 10x over!negative thoughts while running

Our ego is the part of us that often speaks first and loudest, which is too bad because it’s kind of confused.

One minute it’s worried about the future (what if I fail) and the next it’s throwing the past in our face (look how poorly that went last time!). It thrives in fear and chaos.

The excellent news is that if you’ve spent any time dealing with this little monster on your runs, I can tell you it’s possible to overcome by building mental toughness.

The result is that we’re often able to accomplish more than we dreamed because we stop holding ourselves back on race day, we start relaxing in training which leads to better workouts and GASP we have fun which means we keep showing up!

Running is a Mental Sport

Our goal is to overcome those negative thoughts while running, which help us to break through the mental blocks holding us back.

You’re a runner, so you know there is no magic wand, there is simply work. Showing up day after day to train our body and our mind to do as we wish…go farther, go faster, go injury free.

Here’s a three step process you can use to begin turning the tide on your ego based voice.

1. Acknowledge the Fear

The first (and most important) step to squashing your fear is to simply acknowledge it. Sorry, ignore and run on is not the advice you’ll find here.

The next time you find yourself thinking or saying things like “I’m not, I can’t, It won’t, It’s not worth it, I don’t know” be willing to examine the fear behind your thought instead of accepting it as your reality. Ugh that sounds so boring, let’s try this again.

On the next run when you find yourself slumping over, dragging each foot forward like a million pound weight, grab that moment to say “what am I thinking?”
– This sucks. I suck. I can’t do this. I’ll never be able to run a marathon. I’m a horrible runner.

Ok, unpleasant.

Now pull your shoulders back, lift your head up and simply say “Ok ego, ok body, ok fear, I hear what you’re saying.”

Legit! Actually naming and listing your fears, immediately takes away the power and allows you to either deal with the thoughts (umm it’s mile 13 and you haven’t had any water, which makes you cranky) or recognize how ridiculous they might be.
fear quote

2. Examine the Thought

Now that we’ve named it, we’ve allowed it to come out in to the light…let’s really examine that fear.

Maybe someone on the playground in first grade told you that you had a weird awkward stride as you ran from first base to second (you know just a random example of the top of my head, not like it happened to me) or you set out for a long run and had to cut it short because you just couldn’t find the energy.

These moments become deeply ingrained in our subconscious as lessons about who we are, which in this case is not a very good runner.

Now that we’ve let our nasty little voice out of it’s box: This sucks. I suck. I can’t do this. I’ll never be able to run a marathon. I’m a horrible runner. – it’s time to blast it.

Tired of the negative chatter while you run? How to turn around your self-talk for better training! #runchat #mindset Click To Tweet

I mean are you really the “worst runner ever”?

Really? You have to admit it’s pretty unlikely that in the entirety of the WHOLE world you’re literally the wosrt, which means the story you’ve been telling yourself is a lie.

What, the what?! You’ve been lying to yourself! What else might that little mean subconscious voice be lying about…how far you can run, how fast you can run, how much fun you can actually have while doing it??

It’s time to implement the genius of Byron Katie’s 4 questions:

  • Is it true?
  • Can you absolutely know it’s true?
  • How do you react, what happens, when you believe the thought?
  • Who would you be without the thought?

Listen you’ve got plenty of time while running to puzzle through all of this and it’s a distraction to what you’re doing, so don’t put it off…just do it!

3. Flip Your Funky Thoughts

Fabulous, now that you’ve realized your ego based fear is a big steamy pile of poop emoji’s, let’s turn it in to something more useful.

I mean what would your run be like if you started saying this like: I really love running. It always feels so good to move my body. The sun on my face is really invigorating.

I dunno, better?!

As Wayne Dyer says, “You’ll see it when you believe it.” Turn your fears into mantras and post them in places where you’re going to see them throughout the day. Holy heck, we’re taking that initial nasty voice from your run and turning it in to mantra’s that will help you achieve those big goals!

Fear: I’m not in good enough shape to be a runner. I’ll hurt myself and not even finish.
Flip it: My body is strong and will get stronger every time I lace up my sneakers.

Fear: I’m too slow to ever be a real runner.
Flip it: I am a runner because I choose to run.
negative voiceAllowing your fear to be your reality is like running while carrying a sandbag. It’s draining and slows you down. These three steps will bust through your fears and free you from comparison, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs.

I am a firm believer in the idea of focusing on gratitude when runs are hard and sometimes that even means going so far as to say “I love a bad run” and of course reading about how the elites think.

There is nothing more powerful than publicly outing your fear! So let’s hear it:
What does your negative voice say on runs?

How do you shut it down?

Other ways to connect with Amanda
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Facebook Community Chatter: RunToTheFinishRunning_motivation_thumb

Get more running tips: Pinterest

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Posted by amanda Categories: running coach

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rebecca Pytell says

    May 8, 2015 at 7:30 pm

    The voice never tells me I can't, but reminds me that I can. All the hard things I have gotten through are proof that I can do something again.

  2. Rebecca Pytell says

    May 8, 2015 at 7:30 pm

    The voice never tells me I can't, but reminds me that I can. All the hard things I have gotten through are proof that I can do something again.

  3. [email protected] says

    May 9, 2015 at 1:22 am

    On my blog, I talk a lot about the negative voices! I love this post. I've been shutting the voices down a lot lately. And I'm so proud that I can.

  4. Organic Runner Mom says

    May 11, 2015 at 2:29 am

    Such great tips for getting rid of those negative voices. I hate that little voice!

  5. Alexis says

    January 17, 2019 at 5:04 pm

    That voice tries to get me all the time, especially if my training hasn’t been going the way I wanted it to. I try to re-direct, focus on my goal, and the real reason I’m running in the first place: to keep my mind and healthy for LIFE. When I missed a 10k PR that I had been gunning for just after setting a new 5k PR, I really had to use these techniques to flip my funky thoughts: https://runningmybestlife.com/missed-personal-record/.

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Hello runners! I’m Amanda Brooks, a certified personal trainer and running coach. I’ve been coaching over a decade and distance running since 2002. My philosophy is that running isn’t about your pace or the distance or your body. It’s about showing up for yourself, loving the process and doing it injury free!

 

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Amanda Brooks is a Certified Running Coach, Certified Personal Trainer and long time distance runner with a passion for every facet of running, which leads her to do more reading, research and running than necessary. Find all the tips, tricks and tools you need from this running coach for your best injury free running. Read More…

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Amanda Brooks : Run Coach
A NEW PLAN DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING. You might alr A NEW PLAN DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING. You might already know what’s best for you, but aren’t doing it consistently. That’s the only way we really make changes.
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A PLAN can help, but I often don’t think that’s step one to making lasting change.
//
HABITS AND ROUTINES✴️
-Eliminate the need to make decisions.
-Which reduces brain fatigue.
-Which increases your chance of success.
//
TINY HABITS✴️
This is the smallest step you can take towards your goal. Often so small it seems insignificant, but is easy to make it a habit.
🌟
That leads you to another tiny habit, then another and suddenly it’s just your lifestyle.
👆👆👆
When people ask how I easily kept off 35lbs for over 15 years, while enjoying pizza, taking rest days and not obsessing about food.
👇👇👇👇
When people ask how I stay motivated to run year round and rarely race. Tiny habits.
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Day one isn’t eat perfect or run for an hour.
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Day one IS drink a glass of water when I wake up. Put on my running clothes.
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Day 30 is then more like after I drink my glass of water, I do 5 push ups. After I put on my running clothes, I do a 5 minute warm up.
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SLOW PROGRESS IS BETTER THAN NO PROGRESS, it builds momentum and is sustainable.
❔❔❔
Have you ever practiced creating tiny habits???
1️⃣ WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR RUNNING THIS YEAR? M 1️⃣ WORD TO DESCRIBE YOUR RUNNING THIS YEAR?
Mine... satisfying.
😊
1900 miles blows away previous years.
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(swipe to see...because yes I love tracking.) Unfortunately I’m not positive what it was 2001-2007 because I wrote it on calendars.
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SATISFYING
🥰I needed the long miles early on to process my business being thrown for a loop. Bye bye book tour and partnerships.
😊I needed it after that to get away from the news and pretend I wasn’t spending all day alone. Then as my business shifted again to keep ideas flowing.
🌲I loved the time outside to think, get lost in a comedy podcast or audiobook. Otherwise I’m at home working!
🤩Without a single race, I still checked a big goal off my list of running an ultra distance (solo was very interesting!).
//
I’ve seen some posts that make it seem like we’re wrong for talking about what we achieved this year.
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It was a HARD FCKIN year for everyone, but guess what lots of years are. And not every year is great even without a pandemic.
//
For all the lows this year, I also worked my ass off to make some really good things happen. And I’m extra proud of that.
//
So let’s hear your word for fitness in 2020??
⬇️
Hard, easy, strong, powerful, consistent, cleansing, relaxing, nature, grace, grit, grind, triumph, building...
HAIR EMOJI POLL!!! Seriously hair...it’s a lot r HAIR EMOJI POLL!!! Seriously hair...it’s a lot right?! Figuring out what to do with it, color it don’t color it, keep it healthy, breakage from ponytails, long, short. And yet a good hair day😃 🔥 🌟
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POLL:
🥰Love your hair
🤪Frustrated with your hair
1️⃣Natural curls
2️⃣Stick straight
👇👇👇
Curly friends: share your favorite tips!!
Long hair friends: what helps you keep it healthy?
👆👆👆
//
At 7 I could sit in my hair it was so long.
At 10 we started perms.
At 16 I had a full mane of hair I loved.
At 20 I learned I have naturally curly hair 😂after years of perms as a kid.
At 25 I was going blonde blonde blonde.
At 29 I began losing hair and it got so brittle I had to chop it off, due to the hormone issues.😭
At 35 my hair started to recover (as did my body), but never like that mane I loved as a teen.
At 39 I got my first curly haircut! I’m still figuring it out, but was amazed at how it looked.
//
I don’t wear much make up, but I do admit to really caring about my hair and it was a tough time when it felt so unhealthy.
//
I’m still struggling to figure out this new curly style 😂but keep hearing from other curly girls ya just gotta stick it out. So we’ll see.
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#curlygirlmethod #hairtalk
ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RUN? Why don’t you just ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RUN? Why don’t you just enjoy a day off? Don’t you feel guilty about the time apart?
//
Yes.
It makes me happy.
No, if I’m happy our time together is better.
👇👇👇
MY VIEW IS THIS...
❌If you aren’t working out because of food guilt
❌If you aren’t missing big moments because you must workout
✅If you enjoy it and it improves your day
✅THEN GO FORTH and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for improving your mental and physical health.
//
❓Do you have guilt or get guilted about workouts for n holidays?❓
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This has been my lifestyle so long that our families just know to expect that I’m gonna sweat. And of course, I’m lucky David wants this lifestyle too.
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BUTTTTT I remember those first trips to David’s family, where it really threw them for a loop. They still find it weird, but I sneak out before everyone gets up or have gotten them to do family things like the rec center.
//
My best advice when asked has always been to try and calmly explain why it matters to you and then just go. They get over it or used to it.
🎁 🎄🕎
TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE PIZZA MY HEART 😂a reminder TAKE ANOTHER LITTLE PIZZA MY HEART 😂a reminder this holiday season that we all need to be loved differently...and pizza transcends all.
//
🍕Do you have a favorite local pizza place?🍕🍕
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Yes, I knead to know for when we can travel again.
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Here we fell in love in love with @saucyspizza and I wouldn’t be sad if I got it as a gift 😆
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#pizzamemes #eatlocal #denvercolorado #ilovepizza #lovememes #pizzagram #digiorno #papajohns #foodisfuel #longrun #womenwhoeat #carbsarelife
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