I’d be a great lad to run downhill with the wind in my back
I think I’ve mentioned it before but I have that same mental struggle everytime I do a hard run. When I first started off doing 5k runs with the challenge on here, I would be having out loud arguments with myself around the 3km mark.
I’ve found podcasts and music a huge help to keep the mind distracted. Even on handy Sunday morning runs I’d often feel terrible up until around km 7 but after that point I can generally just roll along and would feel stronger finishing than when I started.
The mind is funny beast and running definitely taps into it.
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You’ll never regret a run. You’ll only regret not going out for a run.
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What if that run is a run that caused you an injury and you knew you were tempting fate by heading out?
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I hear you brother. I’d usually listen to music on my runs but sometimes run without to mirror race conditions! I was telling myself on Sunday that it was going shite & to stop after 1km & I wasn’t remotely tired at that point. And because it was 2 laps, I was giving myself advance warning that I’d be hitting the uphill bit again soon & don’t dare stop because it’s hard & into the wind. A separate voice in my head going…actually you may as well stop on this hard uphill bit when you get there, it was shit the first lap so it won’t be any better this time.
Sometimes I think having route knowledge in races is beneficial but other times I think it’s best just to turn up & run without knowing about the hard parts in advance. I’ll be overthinking the DCM route as this year’s race gets closer & it probably won’t do me any favours.
I also annoy myself by checking my watch & then working out what % of the race I’ve done & what’s still left. At least it’s an easy mental calculation in a 10km though. I’d then be doing all this arithmetic based on the time elapsed so far & my pace & projecting my finish time. Seems like wasted energy too. I hope I get a race at some stage where I’m going smoothly on autopilot & not thinking about anything. Maybe I’ll add a sports psychologist to my backroom team but I don’t want anybody stepping on @fenwaypark ’s toes.
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You’ll regret the decision of going out and pushing yourself.
Gloves are a great tool for us folically challenged . Great sweat absorbers without the embarrassment of a headband.
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I do the very same as this throughout the race, I often picture the race as a face of a clock and work out in Distance how much of the race is left if the race was a full hour/360°. I’ve no idea why I do this. Just to distract the mind I think and once I hit the last mile I’m always just telling myself 4 laps of UL track left ,if you can’t do that you are a useless fucker and so on through the count down.
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I got bate by the wind today. I turned around a corner when it was relatively calm and started going uphill and was absolutely battered. Then I had a downhill and I was making fuckall progress til it settled. I always keep an auld buff in the pocket when hitting the hills and stuck it on the noggin’ (I’ve a grand head of hair…) for a bit of protection. Some job
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I also use a buff . But use it to cover the head fully rather than a sweatband. They’re a great device in winter. Far better than a beanie that often gets waterlogged And also causes overheating
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I see lads with beanies and I don’t know how they could run with them on. I’d be fucking drownded.
Likewise, when I stick on a buff, it’s the cover the whole dome
I ran Dublin in 2018 wore a Penny’s beanie for the start as twas fairly cold. Forgot all about it until half way and threw it off . It hit the ground like a towel that had been left in the bath . Must have been 2kg in weight. Never again .
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I have a rake of those buffs, I wear them most of the year round, one of two pieces of unnecessary running equipment I wouldn’t be without, the other is the flip belt
I usually take off the buff and wear it as a wristband once I’ve warmed up
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@fenwaypark going attempting my first proper 10k race on Sunday. I’m not really sure what time I could do it in but I’m hoping I could do it around 41:30.
I see there’s a 40min pacer. Would it be a plan to try and stick with him for the first few kms and then drop back? I think I’d prefer the idea of pacing myself off someone else rather than looking at the watch
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What is course like?
I’ve heard it’s a bit hilly around the mid/later section but with a fast enough last 1km.
@backinatracksuit ran it last year.
He’ll tell me go out at 3:30 pace and hang on 
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Undulating