Setting myself up to fail.

I don't think you are on your own, it can be brought on my overtraining, overfamiliarity or practically anything.

Try setting a goal, joining a club etc.

A lot of running is in the head so if you an just slow build up you stand a better chance of beating yourself.

Good luck.

I think you just have to challenge yourself to find a resolution. Lots of good stuff in and around this forum about motivation, or have a look at the Lore of Running (Tim Noakes). You have already achieved a half marathon so you know you can but if you are not really enjoying the running perhaps you shoudl take a break and try cycling or something for a bit until the drive is back?

Or try one of the more off the wall races like a hellrunner or something where the emphasis is on the fun and not the ten miles.

You could try running for a specific length of time, rather than distance. 

If you can only go for about 2m at the moment, then just limit yourself to 20mins, or whatever time it takes you to do your 2m.  Keep doing that for a week, then next week, do the same, but add 5 - 10 min walk at the end.  Do that for a week, then build up again the next week.

Alternatively, you could go out and instead of running, do a run / walk all the way and stick with that, building up the time that you spend on your feet.

That might break the cycle you're in at the moment.  I don't know if you listen to music, I always do, so perhaps that might work for you - take your mind off what you're doing.  But I reckon if you plan to do something that takes the pressure off you, it'll start to come back.

Another possibility is that you're going too fast at the beginning, so get tired.  Start more slowly and build up your pace gradually and see if that helps. 

If nothing does, then maybe take a break, you may be stale, try something else and come back in a few months' time, feeling better.

Don't worry about it - you'll get it sorted soon.

I think you need to gradually build it up...set yourself one run a week, and increase the mileage each week by one mile, then it doesn't seem so daunting.

I've just done my first half which I did following a schedule, that increased my miles incrementally each week...so the first week's long run was 4, then it was 5, then 6 and so on....after my 4 miler, the 5 didn't seemt o daunting...and after the 5...the 6 seemed do-able.  Last Sunday I ran 13 miles! Now, looking back, 6 miles seems really easy!

Maybe the club running is putting too much pressure on you...we put enough pressure on oursleves to get better don't we? We don't need peer pressure as well! Like you say, you love running, and that is why we do it isn't it at the end of the day. 

The mind is a complex thing! Believe in yourself that you can do it! I had the jitters a few weeks ago and lost all confidence, but after a few very motivating comments on here, I saw the light. You can do it oif you want to!

Hi Steph,I do think maybe you are right about the club running,because we have been asked to compete to make the numbers up,I do feel pressure to do well,even though I am no way going to be as good as a runner who had one this all their lives.I realy do need to look at one of the plans.I have just been doing this very hap-hazard. I have been out for a little run this morning and am managing my 2 miles solid every time now but I am constantly fighting with my thoughts of stopping.I do think that being on here is very motivating and I am very good at motivating others. Well done on your running too,thats brilliant,training plan here I come.

Ecky, I'd give up the club at the moment if it's causing you pressure. 

A plan is a great idea, it gives you something to focus on and builds up gradually.  Why don't you look at 5k / 10k beginners' plans - you'll probably be able to do the first few weeks as you've already got a lot of experience and the incremental steps will probably seem quite easy.

I haven't been able to train for about 3 - 4 months due to family circs, so I've lost shed loads of fitness and gained shed loads of weight.  I'm building back up slowly and have decided not to enter the races that I'd planned as I won't be able to do as well as I'd like to - I can always do them next year.

I think that you need to get past the sticking point of 2m, so I'd suggest that you look at making that your priority, once you do, then I reckon you'll soon get back into your old training ways and feel much happier.

PS Maybe join some of the newbies threads (as you'll be with others going through the same as you)  but either way, keep posting as that will hopefully help your motivation too.

You are putting way too much pressure on yourself I reckon.  Quit now!  Remember why you got into running in the first place....for me it's the alone-time, the buzz I get knowing my body is working better than it ever has in my 35 year old life, and the smell of the fresh air and the country side...I also lurve the feeling of my 'home straight' which is a nice big downwards hill (I always do routes that end with this hill) then I always come home feeling strong and buzzing!

A few poeple have suggested to me that I shouild try joining a club, and while I feel the advice/support would be good, I know what I am like, and would put so much uncessary pressure on myself...I can do that all by myself without comparing myself to other much more able runners!

Why don't you also try this - find a 1.5mile route from your home, run to that point, turn around and take a few little steps, then run back - that way you'll have run 3 miles, but will have had a little break at the turnaround point! I have a route exactly like that, and it's my 'comfort route', one that I always do if I'm tired or have just done a long one the day before....when you feel a bit more confident just increase the route to 2 miles before you turn around and come back. It feels so much easier in the mind that way!

Some people I think just aren't competetive...I am one of them!!! - and the thought of competing terrifies me...a race for me is about proving something to MYSELF, not racing against someone else.

Hope this helps!

You sound exactly like me - I would compare myself to every other runner at a club and then go away and feel like a failure as I'm not as thin/fast/good as them!

IN the run up to my half a week ago, I was feeling very nervous about the race, and worried I wouldn't be able to do it - and some very nice people on here emphasised that walking is not the enemy!!! I like you, wanted to make sure I completed the whole race without walking and when I was doing my training long runs of 12/13 miles, I was having to stop and walk - I felt this was me failing.....

Someone then advised me to PLAN to walk at the water stations or at each mile marker, which, come the race, is exactly what I did...that way, I still followed my plan to the letter, and walked at the water stops.  By the end, I felt like I had 'succeeded'.  If I had told myself to run the whole thing non stop, I'd have felt like a failure by the end instead. It's all in the mind!

The way I see it is, we are on a 'journey' aren't we....trying to excel at a hobby that we really like! I am a newbie, like you, have only been doing it 2 years, and I see the race last week, as the first big one of many more to come! I am determined now to do another one and another one, and to get better and better each time.  We can't have it all immediately - we have to work at it and wait for the slow BUT SURE positive results!!!

 Stop worrying.  Pack the club in for a bit. Don't even bother entering any races. Just get out there and enjoy the running!  Build up gradually, mile by mile, week by week. When you feel less pressured you'll enjoy it more, and then you'll want to up the ante!

Take care, Steph xxx