How to deal with fatigue and boredom during long runs

One of the most frequent problems of long runs - a tired body and mind, which is trying to convince us to give up the whole thing and go to the movies with friends, or home to sleep. When the feet start to buzz, breathing becomes heavy and intermittent, and side splits, the option "necessary to run because you have so in written training plan "stops working and consciousness begins to invent a lot of reasons why you need to drop everything right here now. To overcome this, you need to go to certain tricks, and then, perhaps, you do not just get used to it and fall in love with long distances.

To overcome the weakness of the mental trainers offer three variants of tricks that will fool the mind and continue training.

Eat an elephant bit by bit

It's all very simple: you have to break a lot for a little, because the short distances scare not as long. For example, you need to run the first 18 km in my life. This means that the distance of 4 km or 8 km to you is no longer a novelty and you can imagine them, sometimes even draw a route in your mind, if you are running on a familiar track. Break your long distance to a short-cut steps and make of them a kind of markers of past stages. Here you have ran 4 km - it's so easy, right?! And now there are still just as much!

If running on familiar terrain, you can just about imagine the distance from some iconic objects. For example, you know that here on the huge willow run to the finish line is still quite a bit. You can draw in the imagination of the route, first run to the old willow tree, and then - to the lake, but already there is visible the gate from which the finish is already at hand.

You can not eat an elephant as a whole, but it is possible to piece together. ;)

Always could be worse

Every time you think that here it is, the limit (hello, nice to meet you), think that things could be much worse. After all, in order to feel good again, just enough to think about what could have been much worse, for example, like the one your friend who ran the marathon in France. The distance could be longer, the route could be a very difficult terrain, the weather might be just awful (with the rain, hail and gale-force wind), and you have now everything is so beautiful! Well, for a long time to run and downhill, but the sun is shining, and blowing breeze.

And even if it really is not very good and your scamper closer to the category of "could be worse" try to remember the worst case, which occurred sometime to you or people you know, and run further. If the head is nothing and will not come, remember this case, since now it is your "it could be worse."

Remember when ...

Another option to overcome his inner whiner and move forward toward the goal, to the finish line - remember how you came to this race or distance. Remember all your training efforts that you have made to be here and now, here on this very race! Hundreds of kilometers of the oncoming, trampled a couple of sneakers and maybe, abrasions and injuries. A couple of tantrums and momentary impulses, "I'm quitting!", Because it's hard not to rush. You were able to overcome it and now are on the way to his main goal at the moment - to finish the race.

And, you can remember how you started to run. As the first 5 km you seemed incredible huge distance, and people easily running through 10 km, looked very real characters. And now you do for someone a hero. ;)

Relax

Another option - to relax. But not just so, and to give himself something like meditation. That is what many triathletes and ultramarafontsy. Just imagine what would happen if you decided to go Ironman 70.3 event (half) with the clutch teeth and a constant internal struggle with!

When your body is experiencing heavy loads, it strays from its natural rhythm. Overvoltage threatens not only fatigue but also cramps, which increases the risk of injury.

The best option - relax and allow your body to properly distribute the remainder in his energy reserves. The ability to relax your mind and body while moving at high speed - one of the most important factors in achieving success.

According to Joan Dalkoeter, Doctor of Philosophy and expert in the field of mental training of athletes, relaxation - it is an experience. This state of both mental and physical relaxation, which is characterized by the absence of anxiety and tension. In times of stress the already high heart rate increases even more, and you feel the physical effects of mental anxiety.

How to deal with it? Try to use the technique of deep focused breathing, learn to feel all your muscles to you had the opportunity to mentally get to the last of them and relax them, using the technique of conscious meditation. Try to focus on the present moment. Your main words should be "calm", "ease", "Victory", "concentration", "patience". Unfortunately, it just does not work, but be sure to come with experience.

If all of the above does not help, try to think of your reward, from which you just can not refuse. Let it be something that you really like, but you felt it was not quite appropriate, since there are far more important things to do and things that are worth to spend money, time and energy. It can be anything, as long as you really like this! Almost like a child, when we came up with the horrors that can happen if we are not finishing their bowl of soup, do cast homework or get together from a distance and did not surrender fizruchke this hateful cross 2 km away, and, of course, the rewards for the performance mission. ;)