After Sunday’s race, I’ve been thinking a lot about what is going on in my head while I run. While I was running my 5k on Sunday, my mind was jumping all over the place – thinking about my full time job, my part time job and how I have no idea what shifts I will be working next weekend, how hungry I was, – then in between all of that my mind was screaming DEAR GOD PLEASE STOP DOING THIS RUNNING THING! Actually that was the number one thought in my mind, but whenever I stopped thinking about how much pain I was in I started spacing out all over the place. What I really should have been thinking about what how strong I was, how proud I should be for dragging myself out of bed, how awesome it was going to feel when I finished – but of course I didn’t do any of that. And maybe if I had tried to have more positive, focused thoughts during my run I could have enjoyed myself more.
So when this article from Runner’s World popped up on my facebook newsfeed, it was perfect timing! This article is exactly what I needed to read after my mess of a run this weekend. I need to remember why I started running, and how good running can make me feel when I’m not obsessing over my (now much slower) mile pace or how much faster everyone else is running. I need to treat my runs like a way to de-stress, the way I did back when I first started running. I’m kind of looking forward to my next run so I can try these strategies out!
Check out the article here! Anyone else have a case of “Monkey Mind” every once in a while?
Mom in the Mtns 
Now, is Monkey Mind the technical term for that? LOL, I usually get that around bedtime and I end up thinking about everything that needs to get done or that I didn’t get done.
Haha I’m definitely calling it Monkey Mind from now on! And I also get the same thing when I’m trying to go to sleep. Actually I think the advice for running might work for trying to fall asleep too!
I read that article too and thoroughly enjoyed it. I don’t mind monkey mind because it keeps me from focuses on the negatives of a workout.
That’s a good point! I like that during my workouts, but I hate thinking of a million different things during a race when I should just be focusing on doing well. I’m really bad at focusing!
I’m the same as Danni, I get Monkey Mind when I am ready for bed, and can’t turn off my brain!! During workouts I usually have to focus (a lot) to make sure I keep proper form and don’t slack lol so I haven’t experienced it much during workouts.