What do you think about when you run? Your upcoming day, big life events, things you’re struggling with?
Or, maybe a better way of asking this question is, what does running help you think through/process? Are there any breakthroughs you’ve made when you’re out on a run?
Really interested to hear what running is like for you between the ears. — Terrell
i think about everything. if i'm with a friend we chat about everything in life non-stop, but if i'm alone i just let my mind wander and free flow. its amazing. i return back home feeling so much better!
Hello all! I've been an off and on runner my whole life (short distance runner) but never dedicated "running as a lifestyle" until Feb 2020. In 2016, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer with treatment (lasted through 2020), my father past away and I had a bad divorce in 2019. I started walking and then running again to sort things in my mind - try to figure out how to get my life back on track. I soon found through running that I could change my mindset - "for every struggle, I found gratitude". For every hurdle, I found just "one running step forward could change my life"! Basically, my run - my mind could leap me over all barriers or challenges that were directed at me. I started posting my runs on Social Media using #mileageforareason along with motivational images and sayings, and I now have a small following of people (grateful to inspire a few). It does more for me in the long run (no pun intended) and I now have 4 half marathons (about to do my fifth) and one full marathon under my belt. It's a lifestyle now and I love it!!
Gloria, first of all thank you SO much for sharing all of this. What an incredible, incredible journey your life has taken these past few years. The spirit and resiliency you must possess inside is something to behold. I'm so, so glad you found running and that it's done for you what it has. What's your half marathon coming up? And would you feel comfortable sharing your social media here?
Hi Terrell. Thanks for the reply and the inspiration in your newsletters. I don't mind at all sharing my feed - quest to get people healthy and to find inner peace. I am only on fb at this time but will push to do Instagram soon - facebook.com/gloria.b.wilson and I am doing the Snoopy Challenge Virtual Run https://runsignup.com/Race/TX/VirtualRun/SnoopyChallenge?raceRefCode=uuGL0wBx - would love to correspond with anyone wanting to run this with me - cheer each other on, etc.
Just an idea you might want to “put out there” one day : What is the best idea you had on a run that you wish you had acted on but for lack of time, energy, money or whatever it remains dormant?
Perhaps one of your subscribers or non -subscribers is willing to publicly share their idea and someone will decide to act on it so it can impact this world in a positive way! Btw, I have two ideas that I think may have “legs” that I would love to see someone “run” with… I imagine them to both be “non-profit” so one would have to be motivated for altruistic reasons only. They involve the running community and how runners could be a catalyst for positive action in their own communities. Anyway, just saying…
Great idea! No chapters in the PacNW where there is a definite homeless problem in Seattle and King County. Any readers you have out here? I'm quiet, older and not in a position to take on a project, but there are lots of runners and tech corporations who would be willing to help.
LOVE, LOVE,LOVE the backonmyfeet concept & what is being accomplished. Unfamiliar with the organization but they are obviously up and running!!!! Look forward to hearing your announcement. Send me your best contact information and I will be happy to share my 2 ideas with you and perhaps you & your family might want to make them happen. I love the idea generation part but no longer want to do implementation phase.
It's a form of meditation and therapy for me. It is my time alone. It is a chance for me to listen to music and enjoy the outside scenery. I love waving to people along the way.
Running through neighborhoods always gives me a chance to pick up gardening ideas. Always looking for a new photo opportunity, too. Often, I find myself thinking simply about how free I feel … and how thankful I am to be able to clear my head and appreciate “what’s out there”.
Totally agree. I have a very stressful job and running has helped me out many times. It might be just trying to sort out what to do with a situation or to just clear my mind. Running is a great stress reliever.
Has changed for me. When I first started, I was just thinking of getting it over with and listened to music to just get me through. After my daughter convinced me to run a half marathon, though, things changed. Just trying to get it over with would not cut it for runs longer than 6 miles. I focused on training aspects like pace and intervals, etc.
Then, my father was diagnosed with dementia and started to decline precipitously, and my world started to feel like it was falling apart. One day soon after this, I went on a run with no plan at all. No distance, no pace, no route. I just ran and suddenly started crying. When I was done, I felt so much better. Since then, my attitude about running has changed and I do it for many reasons: health, fitness, training, decompression, but mostly for me time. I listen to music, books, my thoughts, nothing. Lately, I have also started trying to just be mindful and present. I guess I use running for whatever I feel I need it for at the time. Sometimes it is thinking, but other times it is the opposite.
I'm a writer. Running is the perfect chance to zone out and let my subconscious work on the essay or book or whatever my current project. This works on the treadmill or outdoors (I don't do cold) but I much prefer the outdoors once Spring arrives.
Me, I concentrate on form focuses that I set before going out. One minute on, one minute off. . . some times it is 10 minute form intervals, like on a long run. It's about all our monkey mind can take! I'm out for approximately 30-40 minutes and turn on a metronome occasionally to check cadence.
I do watch nature and weather a lot (catkins are out!) and see what is going on along the Trail. Happily, what is going on in my life does not interfere and no problem solving. It's just me. I'm not a heavy thinker. . . :)
It's one of the keys in Chi.Running. A waltz beat. . . 1-2-3, 1-2-3 depending on your steps per minute, (mine are 177spm--using 175-180 as a guide) It's slower than you'd think and totally relaxing.
I've only gone through 2 metronomes in the last 10 years due to rain. You can find them on your phone, or get a clip on for your running belt which I use. . .
After awhile, the sound will drive you nuts, but the rhythm gets so set in your head that it happens subconsciously and you no longer need it all the time. Mine is just a friend and a checkpoint. :)
I'm a teacher, high school. Running allows me to first review my day, from how my teaching went to how the kids were and were there any things that I needed to review in order to clarify from what I saw. i typically do this daily, even when not running. Running allows me to categorize things and both "finish" the day and start to plan ahead for the "tomorrows". When running, I'm doing this until I reach the point where I can think I'm complete and am running only to my music and the cadence in my head for my pace. It sometimes amazes me the distances I run sometimes, as I almost get so lost in that moment so as to not even realize how far I've gone. It has helped me to realize both how much I need it, and it's help, as well how the relaxation of the run then allows me to reach places, both in comfort and physical actions, that I might not otherwise have. I love the runs and the feel afterward of both quiet solitude and comfort from it as it readies me for the "whatever" might be next, knowing I'm clear and ready to go and do what has to be...
I so relate to this, Stan. Years ago, when I first started running, I always ran in the late afternoon, after work -- it helped me break up and review the day, and let go of anything stressful that had happened earlier. Great post! 🙏
Great great question. When I first start, I'm completely out of control with thoughts about stuff I need to do, worrying about my kids, etc, etc. I've created playlists to put me in a groove while I run, and these days I try to embody iFit trainer, Tommy "Rivs" Puzey; my breathing is my #1 priority as I had been completely out of control. I try to be in the moment and enjoy what I'm doing. Basically, I try to just RELAX!
I love this question. I work through a lot of my anxieties, and once I clear space, I have some really creative ideas pop up. Sometimes I pull up my notes app mid run and speak into the phone to remember what I was thinking.
I think about everything & nothing, that's the joy of running. It removes all other stresses going on for those 35-50 minutes & by the time I'm done any problem I had before suddenly doesn't seem so important. It helps to reset perspective on things.
Or if I run with friends it's at a pace where we can just enjoy & shoot the breeze together.
Whatever it is I think about, I always feel better physically & mentally after getting out.
Hey y’all! First time on here, I’m 19 and I live (and run) in Lancaster County PA, surrounded by corn and tobacco fields.
Most of the times I run I think about nothing, it’s a big stress reliever for me. I enjoy the solitude and the quietness of life away from work and the noise of 7 sibling😊
I hear you! I use a treadmill for days like those where I live, but it does feel amazing when you get in a great run out in weather like that. How far do you run?
You know, it’s my time to just be with me. I have problem solved, exercised my frustrations away, and just let things randomly occur. I can find myself having my own little dialogue, sometimes even in my outside voice. But, mostly, I just let things unfold as they will. Being an only child raised in a rural setting until I was 6 years old, I am content with exercising alone and love being outside. Maybe not today, wind chills in the teens.
I love that, Sharon -- I really struggle with running outside when it's like today (currently 34 degrees, cloudy gray sky here in Atlanta). I'd prefer to be outside, but it's so warm inside on my treadmill...
My exercise, although brings out a competitive spirit, gets me fit and gives me more endurance in everyday life, its main job is getting my head in place. I have stressful periods and I have to be able to keep myself composed and focused. Its not easy especially when things go opposite side way up. Sleeping can also be a challenge. I may fall asleep right away but then eventually wake up and the head is running ideas, problems, strategy, stress which leads to not falling back to sleep. So by exercising, either strength and endurance and running, leads eventually to a focus. Indeed it starts with unmanaged thoughts but even from my warmup I am already feeling a control, a focus. Sometimes the clear solution was always there, stress did not allow it to appear to me but my workout would.
Herman, I love this: "Sometimes the clear solution was always there, stress did not allow it to appear to me but my workout would." So, so true. I often have trouble sleeping, too, so I need it to help me sleep at night.
Everything. Anything. Nothing. That is one of the joys of running for me -- clarity of thought, and the ability to simply shut everything down (and out) if I want to "just run".
Me too; it varies wildly from run to run. It sounds like you're much better able to shut down the thinking than I am, too. I can focus on running itself or my surroundings for a bit but inevitably find myself caught up again in the thinkies. (I really struggle with meditating, too.) Do you have a method for tuning out the thoughts, or is it something you can just do? Thanks!
I guess I just kinda fall into a rhythm and that often dictates whether there is anything I feel I need "to think through or about" (family, work, whatever), or if I'm able to simply tune everything out. I don't listen to music because I want to be aware of my surroundings, so that might help me in terms of "just running"....sorry, I don't have a silver bullet on this one, and I will say that I have, like you, had more than my share of runs that were consummed by an overload of thoughts as I wrestled with something related to my family or friends and/or my job --- but thankfully the run itself served as a great stress relief at those times. I don't think I have ever gone on a run and felt worse (mentally) at the end than when I started.
It depends on a day, it depends on a run. Sometimes I run in solitude and silence, sometimes I listening audiobook or podcast (I have one favorite psychology podcast in Lithuaninan). And I never listening a music :)
When I run outside, that's my experience too -- I never bring music with me when I'm running in nature. When I'm on my treadmill, on the other hand (which is often lately) it's a must...
Great question!!! My mind solves problems, relives happy times, creates a "to do" list, it is a time of endless thoughts........some fleeting others become the basis for "great things".............or sometimes it is just a good time to tune out and enjoy who and what I am!!!! Happy Running Thoughts to All!!!
I use my runs to think about everything that is going on in my life. Its my time to not be interrupted and focus on whatever is in my head.
I have solved many work problems while on a run and I almost always end the run feeling like a weight has been lifted because it gives me that opportunity to really think things through.
With that said, I don't always think about things when running. The most perfect days are when I can go out, just hear some music and just enjoy being outside, but those runs are few and far between.
When I was younger and owned a business, an early morning run de-stressed me and set me up emotionally for the daily challenges of entrepreneurship. I was able to interact with my customers and employees in a calm and deliberate manner. A good night sleep was the added bonus from a morning run. In retirement, stress is minimal so my runs & walks are all about immersing myself in Nature and feeling the Awe & Wonder of everything I see (blue heron in flight)and hear ( crows cawing) touch (tree hugging) and taste (wild blueberries) and smell( yes, decomposing leaves). When I return from an hour of exploration, I feel a pure and sustaining joy that is hard to duplicate other than on the yoga mat or meditation cushion…
My favorite running story. I had driven two long days from SD to FL for a move. Spent a couple days with my super anxious mom, who was hesitant to leave me. Finally put her on a plane and got ready for a stress relieving run. I was beyond exhausted but I needed to get out. As I was suiting up, the title company emailed and told me they needed me to wire my down payment for the end of week closing we had scheduled. I decided it could wait an hour and I hit the pavement. To date, still my my hottest sunniest run. 🥵
I was super annoyed by the change in plans but as I turned it over and over in my mind, I realized it was a scam attempt. Someone wanted me to wire tens of thousands of dollars and it wasn’t going to be in exchange for keys to a condo.
Every time I buy new gear and my husband balks, I remind him how a run saved us a ton of money and prevented me from living in a hotel. 🤣
This topic is interesting to me because I have experienced a pattern in my thoughts. Assume, a long run with no music or companionship, just a solo runner, the sound of your foot falls and your breathing. My mind is quiet.
I find after a while of running, my mind begins to wander from one thing to another. It could be an old girl friend I haven’t seen in years, a classic car, a cool looking new home being built, a dog, trash on the side of the road, or something that happened in high school … and then it happens. There is a problem I have been struggling with at work or at home, and suddenly I know what the solution is … it is like my subconscious quietly taps into a part of my brian that we don’t normally access … and the answer I was searching for seems clear.
I never go on a run to solve a problem, but have come home with a new way of thinking about something more times than you might expect.
I am very interested in what others have experienced.
That is very close to my own experience too, Larry. I do think there's something about the rhythm we get in when we run, it helps our minds ease into a different place, beyond the day-to-day conscious thought we normally experience, and places us in a more meditative state. I've found that sometimes solutions to problems/things I'm trying to figure out will just present themselves when I'm on a run, even though my conscious mind has been hitting a wall trying to figure them out before I went on that run. It's a fascinating thing when it happens!
Clearly I need to preface this comment with the statement that while I can NOT prove this, but I can’t help but wonder if there is a portion of our minds that controls non-conscious functions (that we don’t think about but that our mind controls), like heart rate, breathing, & balence while moving … and I believe that part of our brain kicks in on a run with many conscious functions that are happening quickly, like leg movements, foot strike, ankle flex … and then on a long run, we may be able to access that part of our brain to think about conscious problems (?) … and the solution or option that comes to the forefront, is from that sub-conscious part of our brains.
Yes, similar experience. Many problems have been solved on or post-run. One thing also fascinated me. I would generate a number of ideas about solving world hunger and things of that nature and would be so exited …but after I thought about them the next day I found them to be so idealistic, naive or just plain laughable that I decided to give such ideas time to marinate before publicly discussing them. Perhaps the endorphins we create on long runs cloud our judgment a bit…????
I'm so glad you shared this! This happens to me too! I get these bursts of insights that seem so rational and doable at the time, but later, I think, "no, I'm not being realistic."
Funny thing is"they" have recently discovered (and this was in JAMA ) that what we think of as Endorphins created on a long run are not so--that they are Endocannabinoids which is found in Cannabis. No wonder runners like to reach that "high"! A lot cheaper, too! :)
As I circle the Sun on my 75 th Revolution I look forward to continuing to benefit from the Endocannabinoids for crazy ideas and for medicinal purposes. Glad I don’t need a Supplemental Insurance card for this natural high. If you think about it, our body can generate the best pharmaceuticals of all and they are absolutely free. You just need to know how to access them ( running, dance, yoga, meditation, laughter and group hugs all work for me…).
Be joining you on the 75th Revolution in June! It's only now that others are realizing they can make their best drugs through exercise, acceptance and laughter. Been in the loop most of my life and will continue to do so. :)
When I run it helps me with my stress and things that are on my mind, I pray also as I run. Also I accomplish my goal which is running the half marathon and I'm happy about that. I haven't run again since I ran the half, but I'm going to start my training again cause I have a run I want to do in April. I enjoy running cause it helps with my weight, I lift weights on the side and do other cardio exercises, that helps me to stay tone and lean. So I love to run, I hope all runner's feel that way too.
It's not a half its the Pat Tillman run they have yearly and its a 4.2 mile run, that was his jersey number when he played for the Arizona Cardinals. So I run every year, it should be an easy one but I'm still going to trained for it, I love to run also keeps me sane.😊
I'll start us off. Before I met my wife, I was married before and so (obviously!) I went through a divorce. I spent a year after that going through what I call my "Eat Pray Love" process, visiting friends and catching up with people I'd lost touch with. There were days -- a lot of days, in fact -- when it was all too much, sometimes. Running helped me process it all, slow down, just breathe, and get through that one day, or at least that half-hour or hour. Then, after seeing that I could get through that one bout of running, that gave me a tiny little bit of confidence that I could get through the next day, and the day after that. I leaned on running that year in a way I never had before, and it was kind of a constant that I needed, when everything else in my life was shifting wildly.
Running through a tough experience helps a lot in accepting it. Try it when someone suddenly announces they are "trans". I made out the other side and seem to be OK!
Two different things for me. I write a Bible study newsletter, and I have been known to write a Bible study in my mind as I run. Then I have to come home and type it all out before I forget! That has saved me a lot of work later a few times.
Other than that, I do a lot of math in my head as I run. I'm 20% done, I'm 2/3 of the way done, I've run half a mile more than I have left, and so on.
If I'm not doing those two things, I try to not think much about anything. My mind is always going a million miles a minute, and running is one of the few times that it goes silent and just lets me be.
i think about everything. if i'm with a friend we chat about everything in life non-stop, but if i'm alone i just let my mind wander and free flow. its amazing. i return back home feeling so much better!
Hello all! I've been an off and on runner my whole life (short distance runner) but never dedicated "running as a lifestyle" until Feb 2020. In 2016, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer with treatment (lasted through 2020), my father past away and I had a bad divorce in 2019. I started walking and then running again to sort things in my mind - try to figure out how to get my life back on track. I soon found through running that I could change my mindset - "for every struggle, I found gratitude". For every hurdle, I found just "one running step forward could change my life"! Basically, my run - my mind could leap me over all barriers or challenges that were directed at me. I started posting my runs on Social Media using #mileageforareason along with motivational images and sayings, and I now have a small following of people (grateful to inspire a few). It does more for me in the long run (no pun intended) and I now have 4 half marathons (about to do my fifth) and one full marathon under my belt. It's a lifestyle now and I love it!!
Gloria, first of all thank you SO much for sharing all of this. What an incredible, incredible journey your life has taken these past few years. The spirit and resiliency you must possess inside is something to behold. I'm so, so glad you found running and that it's done for you what it has. What's your half marathon coming up? And would you feel comfortable sharing your social media here?
Hi Terrell. Thanks for the reply and the inspiration in your newsletters. I don't mind at all sharing my feed - quest to get people healthy and to find inner peace. I am only on fb at this time but will push to do Instagram soon - facebook.com/gloria.b.wilson and I am doing the Snoopy Challenge Virtual Run https://runsignup.com/Race/TX/VirtualRun/SnoopyChallenge?raceRefCode=uuGL0wBx - would love to correspond with anyone wanting to run this with me - cheer each other on, etc.
Hi Terrell,
Just an idea you might want to “put out there” one day : What is the best idea you had on a run that you wish you had acted on but for lack of time, energy, money or whatever it remains dormant?
Perhaps one of your subscribers or non -subscribers is willing to publicly share their idea and someone will decide to act on it so it can impact this world in a positive way! Btw, I have two ideas that I think may have “legs” that I would love to see someone “run” with… I imagine them to both be “non-profit” so one would have to be motivated for altruistic reasons only. They involve the running community and how runners could be a catalyst for positive action in their own communities. Anyway, just saying…
Clark, this is a fantastic, fantastic idea. I'd love to hear more about the ideas you have, too!
I actually have an idea I'm going to announce next week, a partnership with the nonprofit group Back On My Feet.
Here's where you can find more about them: https://backonmyfeet.org/
Great idea! No chapters in the PacNW where there is a definite homeless problem in Seattle and King County. Any readers you have out here? I'm quiet, older and not in a position to take on a project, but there are lots of runners and tech corporations who would be willing to help.
LOVE, LOVE,LOVE the backonmyfeet concept & what is being accomplished. Unfamiliar with the organization but they are obviously up and running!!!! Look forward to hearing your announcement. Send me your best contact information and I will be happy to share my 2 ideas with you and perhaps you & your family might want to make them happen. I love the idea generation part but no longer want to do implementation phase.
It's a form of meditation and therapy for me. It is my time alone. It is a chance for me to listen to music and enjoy the outside scenery. I love waving to people along the way.
Running through neighborhoods always gives me a chance to pick up gardening ideas. Always looking for a new photo opportunity, too. Often, I find myself thinking simply about how free I feel … and how thankful I am to be able to clear my head and appreciate “what’s out there”.
I love reading other people's running thoughts. I think running is a way for me to untangle my mind. Afterwards i always feel clearer and lighter.
Well said
Me too, Brian. It's almost like my soul gets to stand under a waterfall -- everything that was stressing me out gets washed away.
Perfect description.
totally agree.
Well said my friend.
Totally agree. I have a very stressful job and running has helped me out many times. It might be just trying to sort out what to do with a situation or to just clear my mind. Running is a great stress reliever.
Has changed for me. When I first started, I was just thinking of getting it over with and listened to music to just get me through. After my daughter convinced me to run a half marathon, though, things changed. Just trying to get it over with would not cut it for runs longer than 6 miles. I focused on training aspects like pace and intervals, etc.
Then, my father was diagnosed with dementia and started to decline precipitously, and my world started to feel like it was falling apart. One day soon after this, I went on a run with no plan at all. No distance, no pace, no route. I just ran and suddenly started crying. When I was done, I felt so much better. Since then, my attitude about running has changed and I do it for many reasons: health, fitness, training, decompression, but mostly for me time. I listen to music, books, my thoughts, nothing. Lately, I have also started trying to just be mindful and present. I guess I use running for whatever I feel I need it for at the time. Sometimes it is thinking, but other times it is the opposite.
It’s obvious that running has become your strength. My best to you on all your journeys
This is beautiful, Maria. Thank you for sharing 🙏
Usually, I'm just focused on enjoying being outside. No headphones or music, just the sound of my feet, my breathing and the birds.
I'm a writer. Running is the perfect chance to zone out and let my subconscious work on the essay or book or whatever my current project. This works on the treadmill or outdoors (I don't do cold) but I much prefer the outdoors once Spring arrives.
Just a reminder … I live in south Florida and anything below 70 is cold!
Same here!
Me, I concentrate on form focuses that I set before going out. One minute on, one minute off. . . some times it is 10 minute form intervals, like on a long run. It's about all our monkey mind can take! I'm out for approximately 30-40 minutes and turn on a metronome occasionally to check cadence.
I do watch nature and weather a lot (catkins are out!) and see what is going on along the Trail. Happily, what is going on in my life does not interfere and no problem solving. It's just me. I'm not a heavy thinker. . . :)
That's interesting about the metronome! I'd never heard of it used that way -- but it totally makes sense.
It's one of the keys in Chi.Running. A waltz beat. . . 1-2-3, 1-2-3 depending on your steps per minute, (mine are 177spm--using 175-180 as a guide) It's slower than you'd think and totally relaxing.
I've only gone through 2 metronomes in the last 10 years due to rain. You can find them on your phone, or get a clip on for your running belt which I use. . .
After awhile, the sound will drive you nuts, but the rhythm gets so set in your head that it happens subconsciously and you no longer need it all the time. Mine is just a friend and a checkpoint. :)
Monkey mind. (-:
I'm a teacher, high school. Running allows me to first review my day, from how my teaching went to how the kids were and were there any things that I needed to review in order to clarify from what I saw. i typically do this daily, even when not running. Running allows me to categorize things and both "finish" the day and start to plan ahead for the "tomorrows". When running, I'm doing this until I reach the point where I can think I'm complete and am running only to my music and the cadence in my head for my pace. It sometimes amazes me the distances I run sometimes, as I almost get so lost in that moment so as to not even realize how far I've gone. It has helped me to realize both how much I need it, and it's help, as well how the relaxation of the run then allows me to reach places, both in comfort and physical actions, that I might not otherwise have. I love the runs and the feel afterward of both quiet solitude and comfort from it as it readies me for the "whatever" might be next, knowing I'm clear and ready to go and do what has to be...
I so relate to this, Stan. Years ago, when I first started running, I always ran in the late afternoon, after work -- it helped me break up and review the day, and let go of anything stressful that had happened earlier. Great post! 🙏
Great great question. When I first start, I'm completely out of control with thoughts about stuff I need to do, worrying about my kids, etc, etc. I've created playlists to put me in a groove while I run, and these days I try to embody iFit trainer, Tommy "Rivs" Puzey; my breathing is my #1 priority as I had been completely out of control. I try to be in the moment and enjoy what I'm doing. Basically, I try to just RELAX!
I love this question. I work through a lot of my anxieties, and once I clear space, I have some really creative ideas pop up. Sometimes I pull up my notes app mid run and speak into the phone to remember what I was thinking.
I make a podcast and last week the episode was sort of an ode to running as a creative practice (which inspired me to find fellow runners/join community/sign up for a race!) My show is about art materials, but I see trail-running as an art of its own... Here's the ep if anyone is interested :) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sister-practices-writing-running/id1499024531?i=1000547911490
I will definitely check this out, Catherine!
I think about everything & nothing, that's the joy of running. It removes all other stresses going on for those 35-50 minutes & by the time I'm done any problem I had before suddenly doesn't seem so important. It helps to reset perspective on things.
Or if I run with friends it's at a pace where we can just enjoy & shoot the breeze together.
Whatever it is I think about, I always feel better physically & mentally after getting out.
Aha … exercise is key … in the summer, swimming does it for me.
Hey y’all! First time on here, I’m 19 and I live (and run) in Lancaster County PA, surrounded by corn and tobacco fields.
Most of the times I run I think about nothing, it’s a big stress reliever for me. I enjoy the solitude and the quietness of life away from work and the noise of 7 sibling😊
Welcome to the best blog on earth.
Thank you SO much, Dave! You are incredibly kind. 🙏
Welcome, Benjamin! I can only imagine what life is like with 7 siblings!!! What's it like up there now? Is there a lot of snow on the ground?
Not much, really cold and windy lately, kinda challenging getting runs in, but it makes it more of an accomplishment when I do!!
I hear you! I use a treadmill for days like those where I live, but it does feel amazing when you get in a great run out in weather like that. How far do you run?
I like to go at least 5, I’m training for a Half Marathon the end of March so I’m working my way up.
Good luck on your Half! Happy training.
You know, it’s my time to just be with me. I have problem solved, exercised my frustrations away, and just let things randomly occur. I can find myself having my own little dialogue, sometimes even in my outside voice. But, mostly, I just let things unfold as they will. Being an only child raised in a rural setting until I was 6 years old, I am content with exercising alone and love being outside. Maybe not today, wind chills in the teens.
I love that, Sharon -- I really struggle with running outside when it's like today (currently 34 degrees, cloudy gray sky here in Atlanta). I'd prefer to be outside, but it's so warm inside on my treadmill...
My exercise, although brings out a competitive spirit, gets me fit and gives me more endurance in everyday life, its main job is getting my head in place. I have stressful periods and I have to be able to keep myself composed and focused. Its not easy especially when things go opposite side way up. Sleeping can also be a challenge. I may fall asleep right away but then eventually wake up and the head is running ideas, problems, strategy, stress which leads to not falling back to sleep. So by exercising, either strength and endurance and running, leads eventually to a focus. Indeed it starts with unmanaged thoughts but even from my warmup I am already feeling a control, a focus. Sometimes the clear solution was always there, stress did not allow it to appear to me but my workout would.
Herman, I love this: "Sometimes the clear solution was always there, stress did not allow it to appear to me but my workout would." So, so true. I often have trouble sleeping, too, so I need it to help me sleep at night.
Hebrews 12:1. Phil 4:13. Eph 6:10
Everything. Anything. Nothing. That is one of the joys of running for me -- clarity of thought, and the ability to simply shut everything down (and out) if I want to "just run".
Me too; it varies wildly from run to run. It sounds like you're much better able to shut down the thinking than I am, too. I can focus on running itself or my surroundings for a bit but inevitably find myself caught up again in the thinkies. (I really struggle with meditating, too.) Do you have a method for tuning out the thoughts, or is it something you can just do? Thanks!
I guess I just kinda fall into a rhythm and that often dictates whether there is anything I feel I need "to think through or about" (family, work, whatever), or if I'm able to simply tune everything out. I don't listen to music because I want to be aware of my surroundings, so that might help me in terms of "just running"....sorry, I don't have a silver bullet on this one, and I will say that I have, like you, had more than my share of runs that were consummed by an overload of thoughts as I wrestled with something related to my family or friends and/or my job --- but thankfully the run itself served as a great stress relief at those times. I don't think I have ever gone on a run and felt worse (mentally) at the end than when I started.
I love that expression -- the "thinkies"!
It depends on a day, it depends on a run. Sometimes I run in solitude and silence, sometimes I listening audiobook or podcast (I have one favorite psychology podcast in Lithuaninan). And I never listening a music :)
When I run outside, that's my experience too -- I never bring music with me when I'm running in nature. When I'm on my treadmill, on the other hand (which is often lately) it's a must...
Great question!!! My mind solves problems, relives happy times, creates a "to do" list, it is a time of endless thoughts........some fleeting others become the basis for "great things".............or sometimes it is just a good time to tune out and enjoy who and what I am!!!! Happy Running Thoughts to All!!!
Right back at you, Marianne!
I use my runs to think about everything that is going on in my life. Its my time to not be interrupted and focus on whatever is in my head.
I have solved many work problems while on a run and I almost always end the run feeling like a weight has been lifted because it gives me that opportunity to really think things through.
With that said, I don't always think about things when running. The most perfect days are when I can go out, just hear some music and just enjoy being outside, but those runs are few and far between.
I love those days too, Jamie 😃
When I was younger and owned a business, an early morning run de-stressed me and set me up emotionally for the daily challenges of entrepreneurship. I was able to interact with my customers and employees in a calm and deliberate manner. A good night sleep was the added bonus from a morning run. In retirement, stress is minimal so my runs & walks are all about immersing myself in Nature and feeling the Awe & Wonder of everything I see (blue heron in flight)and hear ( crows cawing) touch (tree hugging) and taste (wild blueberries) and smell( yes, decomposing leaves). When I return from an hour of exploration, I feel a pure and sustaining joy that is hard to duplicate other than on the yoga mat or meditation cushion…
Clark, you are a poet, my friend! I love all of this.
My favorite running story. I had driven two long days from SD to FL for a move. Spent a couple days with my super anxious mom, who was hesitant to leave me. Finally put her on a plane and got ready for a stress relieving run. I was beyond exhausted but I needed to get out. As I was suiting up, the title company emailed and told me they needed me to wire my down payment for the end of week closing we had scheduled. I decided it could wait an hour and I hit the pavement. To date, still my my hottest sunniest run. 🥵
I was super annoyed by the change in plans but as I turned it over and over in my mind, I realized it was a scam attempt. Someone wanted me to wire tens of thousands of dollars and it wasn’t going to be in exchange for keys to a condo.
Every time I buy new gear and my husband balks, I remind him how a run saved us a ton of money and prevented me from living in a hotel. 🤣
Wow, Sarah!!! What a stroke of luck. That's a great story 😃
This topic is interesting to me because I have experienced a pattern in my thoughts. Assume, a long run with no music or companionship, just a solo runner, the sound of your foot falls and your breathing. My mind is quiet.
I find after a while of running, my mind begins to wander from one thing to another. It could be an old girl friend I haven’t seen in years, a classic car, a cool looking new home being built, a dog, trash on the side of the road, or something that happened in high school … and then it happens. There is a problem I have been struggling with at work or at home, and suddenly I know what the solution is … it is like my subconscious quietly taps into a part of my brian that we don’t normally access … and the answer I was searching for seems clear.
I never go on a run to solve a problem, but have come home with a new way of thinking about something more times than you might expect.
I am very interested in what others have experienced.
That is very close to my own experience too, Larry. I do think there's something about the rhythm we get in when we run, it helps our minds ease into a different place, beyond the day-to-day conscious thought we normally experience, and places us in a more meditative state. I've found that sometimes solutions to problems/things I'm trying to figure out will just present themselves when I'm on a run, even though my conscious mind has been hitting a wall trying to figure them out before I went on that run. It's a fascinating thing when it happens!
Clearly I need to preface this comment with the statement that while I can NOT prove this, but I can’t help but wonder if there is a portion of our minds that controls non-conscious functions (that we don’t think about but that our mind controls), like heart rate, breathing, & balence while moving … and I believe that part of our brain kicks in on a run with many conscious functions that are happening quickly, like leg movements, foot strike, ankle flex … and then on a long run, we may be able to access that part of our brain to think about conscious problems (?) … and the solution or option that comes to the forefront, is from that sub-conscious part of our brains.
Yes, similar experience. Many problems have been solved on or post-run. One thing also fascinated me. I would generate a number of ideas about solving world hunger and things of that nature and would be so exited …but after I thought about them the next day I found them to be so idealistic, naive or just plain laughable that I decided to give such ideas time to marinate before publicly discussing them. Perhaps the endorphins we create on long runs cloud our judgment a bit…????
I'm so glad you shared this! This happens to me too! I get these bursts of insights that seem so rational and doable at the time, but later, I think, "no, I'm not being realistic."
Crazy, is it not? Happens to me almost every day about 4pm! I've got to watch myself so I don't actually act on any of them! :)
Funny thing is"they" have recently discovered (and this was in JAMA ) that what we think of as Endorphins created on a long run are not so--that they are Endocannabinoids which is found in Cannabis. No wonder runners like to reach that "high"! A lot cheaper, too! :)
As I circle the Sun on my 75 th Revolution I look forward to continuing to benefit from the Endocannabinoids for crazy ideas and for medicinal purposes. Glad I don’t need a Supplemental Insurance card for this natural high. If you think about it, our body can generate the best pharmaceuticals of all and they are absolutely free. You just need to know how to access them ( running, dance, yoga, meditation, laughter and group hugs all work for me…).
Be joining you on the 75th Revolution in June! It's only now that others are realizing they can make their best drugs through exercise, acceptance and laughter. Been in the loop most of my life and will continue to do so. :)
When I run it helps me with my stress and things that are on my mind, I pray also as I run. Also I accomplish my goal which is running the half marathon and I'm happy about that. I haven't run again since I ran the half, but I'm going to start my training again cause I have a run I want to do in April. I enjoy running cause it helps with my weight, I lift weights on the side and do other cardio exercises, that helps me to stay tone and lean. So I love to run, I hope all runner's feel that way too.
Nice! What's the half you want to run in April?
It's not a half its the Pat Tillman run they have yearly and its a 4.2 mile run, that was his jersey number when he played for the Arizona Cardinals. So I run every year, it should be an easy one but I'm still going to trained for it, I love to run also keeps me sane.😊
I'll start us off. Before I met my wife, I was married before and so (obviously!) I went through a divorce. I spent a year after that going through what I call my "Eat Pray Love" process, visiting friends and catching up with people I'd lost touch with. There were days -- a lot of days, in fact -- when it was all too much, sometimes. Running helped me process it all, slow down, just breathe, and get through that one day, or at least that half-hour or hour. Then, after seeing that I could get through that one bout of running, that gave me a tiny little bit of confidence that I could get through the next day, and the day after that. I leaned on running that year in a way I never had before, and it was kind of a constant that I needed, when everything else in my life was shifting wildly.
Running through a tough experience helps a lot in accepting it. Try it when someone suddenly announces they are "trans". I made out the other side and seem to be OK!
Two different things for me. I write a Bible study newsletter, and I have been known to write a Bible study in my mind as I run. Then I have to come home and type it all out before I forget! That has saved me a lot of work later a few times.
Other than that, I do a lot of math in my head as I run. I'm 20% done, I'm 2/3 of the way done, I've run half a mile more than I have left, and so on.
If I'm not doing those two things, I try to not think much about anything. My mind is always going a million miles a minute, and running is one of the few times that it goes silent and just lets me be.
That's really interesting, Karen! Composing in your head as you run -- and the silence it provides. So, so true.