These storylines have an even more negative tone when I'm on the starting line of a 5K, compared to longer distances up to a half marathon. As I try to accept the fact that I'm going to feel uncomfortable (really uncomfortable!) for a solid 20-plus minutes, my mind tells me the pace will feel impossible to hold. And I won't be able to slow down lest I give up on my goal.
When it comes to a 5K, I tend to taunt myself with the reminder that I need to chase a fast pace right from the start-no progressing into it-if I want to get done in record time. Every second counts in a short race, unlike a half marathon, in which I can settle into a comfortably hard effort and ease into the discomfort. I pretty much dread the feeling of sustaining a nearly sprint speed, and because of that, even before I've started moving, I've told myself how much I'm not going to enjoy the race, which only makes it more difficult to experience.
The plot tends to thicken when I'm in the middle of the run, as I question my moves: Can I really hold this pace? If I slow down, will I miss my goal? Why did I even set this goal or sign up for this race? How do I make the time go faster but my body feel better?
That's the tricky thing about the mind: It can create a whole narrative about what might happen in the future, bringing you right out of the present where the atmosphere is light, lively, and full of potential.
Esta historia es de la edición Winter 2024 de Runner's World US.
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Esta historia es de la edición Winter 2024 de Runner's World US.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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THE SECRET BEHIND SUPERSHOE SPEED
ONE WEEK BEFORE the 2018 New York City Marathon, Olympian Jared Ward received a package from Saucony, his shoe sponsor. Inside were three early prototypes of what eventually became Saucony's first super shoe, the Endorphin Pro 1.
YES, YOU CAN WALK DURING A RACE
WHEN I STARTED racing, I thought I had to run every step of every race.
HEART BREAK HILL
TARZAN BROWN AND THE TRUTH ABOUT BOSTON'S INFAMOUS
DOCTORS BLAMED MY SYMPTOMS ON RUNNING.THEY WERE WRONG.
RUNNING AND MENSTRUATION entered my life around the same time, at age 13.
IT'S TIME TO DIAL BACK OUR BOSTON MARATHON WORSHIP
QUALIFYING FOR THE Boston Marathon is a grit meter for me. I have raced it every year since 2013 and will continue to do so as long as I make the cut.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT YOUR PELVIG FLOOR
This underappreciated powerhouse is the secret to great running.
LET'S STOP GLORIFYING GRIT
I SAW A post floating around social media that made me roll my eyes: \"The person who chooses to run outside in the winter over a treadmill is a powerful person.\"
THE INCANDESCENT RISE OF SOFIA CAMACHO
THE WILDLY TALENTED NONBINARY DRAG ARTIST AND RUNNER IS AIMING FOR A PLACE ON THE SPORT'S MOST VISIBLE STAGE
YOU KEEP THE CHANGE, I'LL TAKE THE HARDWARE
The entry in my training log from that day reads: \"Patching the tire may have been harder than the marathon itself.\"
HOW TOXIC POSITIVITY AGGRAVATED ONE OF MY WORST EXPERIENCES
RECENTLY, I SUCKED. As soon as I started to run the 2024 New Balance 5th Avenue Mile in New York City, I lost my breath.
