Being "in the moment"

When you run, either training or racing, are you focusing on the process? do you focus on breathing, steps, cadence, posture? Do you just hum along to your music or podcast? Do you use the time to clear your mind and enter a comtemplative, zen-like state? Or are you running through a list of jobs to do when you get home, replaying an argument in your head for witty retorts, thinking of a reasonable excuse to explain to your other half why you've spent £300 on another gadget? Or do you spend the whole time with gritted teeth trying counting down the remaining time/miles until you can stop?

i learn lines. running is great for that. when i'm running I cant procrastinate. i sometimes get caught reciting a monologue though. that's embarrassing.

Are you an actor, dude? Do you run through the lines in your head or have them recorded and play them through, like one of those foreign language courses?

I start off thinking about breathing, cadence posture, then after a while my mind starts to wonder and I think about the day ahaed ( I normally run at Stupid o clock in the morning). If I'm doing a tempo session I then tend to go into the trance/zenlike period, after the first to things. I find that sometime I finish and can hardley remeber the run its self..... 

The worst thing I do especially on LSR is talk to myself

Am I "special" or do others talk to themselves

You're special.

I often think about random things..either playing out a discussion that needs to happen or usually some fantasy scenario. The worst thing with this is that whilst I dont talk - I often give facial expressions depending on the scene I am playing out in my head. I think that today I was playing out some sad scene in my head and the next thing I knew I was holding back the tears! Quite often people see me nodding to myself - but in fact I am nodding tp the person I am talking to in my head.

Oh dear I have never really thought too much about my thoughts when running - I am now VERY concerned !!

 I talk to myself sometimes it can be difficault when you come up on someone without realising.

AgentGinger wrote (see)

Are you an actor, dude? Do you run through the lines in your head or have them recorded and play them through, like one of those foreign language courses?

sort of, yeah. i just go over just speeches, lines or, occasionally, if I am trying to master a particularly tricky accent (welsh recently - a nightmare).ive tried doing the entire script with different characters (voices etc) but that just gets confusing.

only once was the director kind enough to record a read-through with my bits edited out for me to take out running. that was brilliant!

AgentGinger wrote (see)

Do you use the time to clear your mind and enter a comtemplative, zen-like state? 

Yes, I'm so 'present' I'm ahead of my time.  Unfortunately my race timings don't reflect this. 

The only time I'm "in the moment", is if a deer runs out at me.. or badger, rats, rabbits, shrew - all of which has happened in the last 2 weeks. Loads of birdlife too.

Definitely worth lifting your head up and looking around.

But I think of all sorts of rubbish en route. Don't generally talk to myself (if I did, I wouldn't listen to the drivel) - but like gemgemx, I often find myself playing scenarios in my head... make plans for work - then realise that my pace has drifted for the last minute or two

On many of my runs - especially the LSR's I listen to audiobooks. This can get embarrassing when I either laugh or shout Oh! depending on the plot. I also listen to the Archers podcast omnibus once a week. However, I do listen to music and have been known to sing along (not pretty!).

Having said that, I do enjoy running with just me and my thoughts - I don't think about work though, or shopping or any mundane stuff. I just let the thoughts have freedom to move in and out of my consciousness at will. I've solved many a problem that way.

If I have a particular problem at work I take it with me and usually end up with an answer, incidentally the best times I ever ran were when I upped my mileage at the same time as having a particularly heavy workload, so for me, a headful of issues = good run

You're all bonkers.

I realised on my run last night that I discriminate in my confrontations with animals.  Some animals simply get a heckle, especially "Squirrel!" for a squirrel and "Gee-gee!" for a horse.  I did see a hare once but I think I was so surpised (first time I've seen an actual real, live hare I think) I probably just said "Fuck me, it's a hare!"  Then there's a simple "Hello!" when an excited dog approaches, but cats just get a thumbs-up.  Cats are cool. 

It wasn't until after my 16mi run on Sunday that i noticed that I hadn't thought about anything particularly for the previous 2 and a half hours, which was kind of nice.

That kind of relaxed running is becoming more common for me now, which is a welcome surprise. I also noticed on a recent threshold run that I felt a kind of rush, which i guess was endorphins or adrenaline or something, but i felt awesome for about 20 mins. considering i'd started the run feeling really sluggish and not sure if i'd be capable of running the pace i'd planned, the experience was quite uplifting.

On days when its grey and cold I usually plan what I am going to spend my lottery winnings on. On sunny days I enjoy the views and sounds of the countryside, say hello to "Ted" the donkey and bore my boyfriend to death with my waffle on LSRs however I ALWAYS go passed road speed limit signs and make comments like "going to have to slow down now" if i go from a national speed limit road into a 30mph zone. Daft.

Usually I just crack on, but occasionally (very occasionally) it all seems to fit and I feel like I'm flying along for no effort.  It's rare that I can remember my route when I get in, though.

The process 99%. 

I'm aware of what's going on around me but every step is considered.

RicF wrote (see)

The process 99%. 

I'm aware of what's going on around me but every step is considered.

I swear you must be part machine.