mind games =( ...

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10 Replies Last post: Mar 30, 2006 8:57 PM by adrenaline07

adrenaline07

97 posts since
Jan 20, 2006

Mar 22, 2006 9:00 PM

mind games =(

Hay everyone! I just got done doing a race 2day..which by the way was HORRIBLE!! I wanted to do like a 6:50ish which is my goal (for the mile)..but I have been no where near that....((b/c in January, before track practice started I ran a 6:58 and running a 8:something was considered pretty easy for me)) Welp the first meat..i ran a 7:40 and today I ran a 8:06!!!!! Can you believe that???? I can't!! My first lap was a 1:30 then it all crumbled...i started to feel like **** and got TOTALLY discouraged...the 2 girls I was running with gained on me and I was SO mad at myself and just wanted to get it over with and did not even feel like trying..my problem is that once I start to feel a little pain or they gain on me a little...my mind starts playing games with me and I feel like a failure. And It's impossible for me to push myself!! When I used to run by myelf I did SO much better...7:30 was the slowest I ever did for a mile (when I was trying to go fast) and now I can't even do that in practice or races =(....whats my problem? I'm thinking that it might be my mind playing games with me and telling me that I can't do it and that there is no point in pushing because I already fell back..and because my coach has never seen me run a mile faster then 7:40..so.. it's not like he thinks I'm good...so I'm not letting him down or anything. I'm just letting myself down =(
So...any tips or advice? THANKS!!!
-And if I just needa suck it up---please let me know. thanks so much!
((and by the way..i'm also sucking in the 800...my goal was to be a 2:45+ (just under 3:00) And last race I did a 3:29 and this race I did a 3:40!!!!!!!)) My coach told me that I shouldn't do the 2 mile.....i hate being the slowest person on the team when I KNOW that I can be faster....but it's jus tnot happening..)) =(

Allstarsoccer101

22 posts since
Mar 22, 2006

1. Mar 22, 2006 10:11 PM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

Dont worry about it! It seems like you are puting a lot of pressure on yourself right now. Everyone goes through that stage where they want to break through but just cant quite get there, im at that point right now myself! Just keep sticking with it though and you will break through significantly.
Now, in terms of racing, it seems like you are going out too fast! 1:30 is 6min mile pace. Now, i know everyone goes out hard because the adrenaline gets pumping but try backing off to even a 1:40-1:42 for that first lap. That way you don't feel completely miserable going into just the second lap. Stick right in behind a group of girls that run the pace you are looking to go. Instead of them passing you, just hang in with them for 800m then make your move near the end of the 3rd lap. This should give you that mental boost going into the 4th lap and you can come rolling home. Best of Luck

adrenaline07

97 posts since
Jan 20, 2006

2. Mar 23, 2006 5:15 PM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

Hay there! THANKS so much!! You just reassured me that what my brother said was correct..he told me the same thing..that I went out too fast and to try to do 1:40's...I just had a problem with it b/c i did a 1:30 and i was 2nd to last....so doing a 1:40 will put me totally last...there is SO many fast runners here...partly because my team won conference last year and plans to place in state and the teams we run against are very competitive. But i'll deal with it and mabye try to go faster the last 1 or 2 laps instead of the first 2 laps..We(long distance runners..aka..the only ones who have practice on Fridays..lol) are timing every event tom...800..1 mile and 2 mile and probably some 400's....so I guess we will see then..only problem is that i'll probably be sore! lol. b/c we had a pretty hard practice today and we raced yesterday...but we will see =)

By the way...I thought about what "RunningMiles" said during practice today ( during fartleiks) and I think that it really did help..when we were sprinting and I was a little behind..i tried to be less hard on myself and when we did a trail run after I felt SO much better that I was in the frount!! actually, i was first at a couple of points!! =D maaan it felt SO good to feel good...and we raced yesterday! lol! I realized that I haven't had the Runners High in fooooorever and how I have just been flustrated at myself when I run and wanting to just get it over with and HATEing every step....so I concentrated on getting the Runners High and even sang a little song (lol) and I GOT IT and I ran with this girl that I would KILL to run with..she is fast and I felt great! THANK YOU SO MUCH "RunningMiles" lol...I know ya prolly think i'm crazy and corney..but it amazes me that I actually enjoyed a hard practice and did not get flustrated!

welp..wish me luck for tom! lol..and next Tuesday and Wednesday's meet..(yeah thats right...we have a race tuesday and wednesday...right after each other) I can already feel the pain...lol

adrenaline07

97 posts since
Jan 20, 2006

3. Mar 23, 2006 5:17 PM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

oh and here's a question... ok- since we have been practicing hard and racing hard...i have been feeling more hungry... but i heard that exercise doesn't actually make you more hungry..it's just your mind. IS IT TRUE? Should I go ahead and eat more? I have already been trying to eat more because I used to eat a 1,000-1500 calories a day and I recently found out that i should be eatting like 2,000-2500...but I doubt that i have reached 2,000 yet. Oh and all my calories have been protein and wheat bread and calcium and the sort--i don't eat greese or fried or junk--with the exception of hot chocklate some mornings...yuuuum (I am 5'3" and weigh about 133(yeah i know i'm fat) and i'm in 11th grade) THANKS

Richard21142

774 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

4. Mar 23, 2006 7:29 PM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

quote:<HR>Originally posted by adrenaline07:
. Oh and all my calories have been protein and wheat bread and calcium and the sort--i don't eat greese or fried or junk--<HR>

You need a balanced diet. Protein is great for building muscle, but you get energy from carbohydrates.

Also, I second that you went out too fast in your mile run. If you want to run 6:50, your first lap should be 1:43-1:45 and your fastest lap should be your last lap. Your mind will be fine when you feel strong in the last lap because you ran the first lap appropriately for your fitness.

Allstarsoccer101

22 posts since
Mar 22, 2006

5. Mar 24, 2006 12:20 AM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

Great to see you are doing well, keep me updated on how you do on Tuesday by messaging me or replying on here or something.
Eat as you please ! In moderation though. You are a runner so go ahead and down those meals witht he confidence that you will run it off the next day. After your workouts make sure that you eat something within 30 minutes. It helps with the recovery process and you will burn it off like nothing.
Best of luck.

adrenaline07

97 posts since
Jan 20, 2006

6. Mar 25, 2006 10:27 AM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

Hay every1! Yeah we had a HARD practice yesterday..but I think I pretty well..although I did not qualify for the race Tuesday. You had to be one of the top 2 or 3 of an event..but I'm racing Wednesday. The coach said that even though I did not make it that I'm still greatly improving and that if the race that you have to qualify for would be in like a month..that he believes that I would have qualified. So it's all good. Man..one thing I did notice at practice is that I would be SO much better at XC then I am a track..lol...when we were running miles on the track, I am always so slow and behind everybody, then when we run off-road..I am towards the frount and I feel great. I think it's because track is in circles and I have been running XC for like 3 years and track only one summer and now. Don't get me wrong- I LOVE track, I just needa practice going fast on track and not getting bored and worn-out with doing laps. But anyways...I'll update you guys with the results on Wednesdays race!

---By the way...Today is Saturday and we have today, tom. and Monday off of school and Tuesday everyone will be racing, so the few of us who didn't make it will not have practice (then as I said earlier-I'm racing Wed.)...I asked my coach and he told me to "take 1 day off, then do long, slow, distance runs that are enjoyable." He wouldn't give me a milage or anything..so does anyone have any adivce on what i should run?
Even though i am pretty sore today (shins and thighs) I don't think i should just do LSD runs all the way up to Tuesday and then have a race Wed..I would rather not have another bad race! lol.Last week the principal of our High School made track cancel practice Monday and Tuesday b/c of the bad weather (Me and some others went out there anyway, then just got told to go home-lol) Then we had a race Wed...and I did BAD...i did better when we had a hard practice monday and a moderate practice Tuesday, then race Wed ...so any ideas?? THANKS!---

adrenaline07

97 posts since
Jan 20, 2006

7. Mar 29, 2006 7:40 PM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

Yup 2day was the race....

first was the mile...i was SO nervous!! I actually took it easy(well easier then the usual 1:30) the first lap with a 1:47 then I planned to speed it up the last two...but I could not find the strength for it and just stayed slow =(....I was discouraged b/c my plan was to catch up on the last 2 laps...but I just stayed the same speed and they were only like 20 yards infrount of me and instead of me gaining on them....they gained on me! and I ended up with like a 8:16!!! my times are getting worse and worse! i can't seem to pick it up! (Best time for a race was a 7:40...during practice I got a 6:58--offroad and usually get around 7:30's offroad..but when I get on the track I slow down. and the track has no hills!) ---yeah..i don't get it

Welp then we got like NO rest then had to do the 800...we didn't even hear the calls, so I didn't warm-up then I had to run to the starting line b/c they were about to start!! Well I planned to stick with these 2 runners that are a little better then me, usually 10-15 sec. on the 800 and like a minuite in the mile...well they were like sprinting!! So they were waaay ahead of me then i got discouraged and when i'm not running RIGHT behind or next to someone, i alwayyyys get discouraged then slow dow like crazy. So I slowed down and got a 3:45!!!! thats worse then in pratice for crying out loud!! My fastest time was a 3:29 and during practices I do a 3:33ish. uggggh I hate how I run!

Sorry for being a complainer but it feels good to let it out..lol

adrenaline07

97 posts since
Jan 20, 2006

8. Mar 30, 2006 4:32 PM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

So we had practice today and it was pretty hard for me. Right now my legs are extremely stiff and when I was walking (after the run) ...on the back of my upper left thigh I had a sudden sharp pain and it really hurts to walk on it..i can't put weight on it or it hurts.

Should I try to walk on it anyway? Or will it just hurt it even more? I'm sure thats it's not anything to worry about, but i was just wondereing. And i know that we are going to have a really hard practice tom, so I want to be able to run it to the best of my ability. thanks =)

TrailFun2

98 posts since
Jan 10, 2006

9. Mar 30, 2006 6:18 PM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

it is just running. enjoy it... you seem to have some talent, don't worry about anyone else. I know the track can be tough mentally, but you will look back and wonder what the problem was. It is your running, so own it.

adrenaline07

97 posts since
Jan 20, 2006

10. Mar 30, 2006 8:57 PM

in response to: adrenaline07

Re: mind games =(

hey, thanks, that's pretty cool. Yeah I do seem to get caught-up in the mental aspect of track a lot (the minuites, the seconds, the people) and forget that I'm running...doing what I love. wow, that made my day =) i know i'm corney, but that just encouraged me a lot. thanks

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Mar 22, 2006 9:00 PM

mind games =(

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