Use These Clever Tricks to Make Your Run Feel Less Boring.
“The thoughts that come to my mind when I run are like clouds in the sky. Clouds of various sizes. They come and go, and the sky is always the same sky. The clouds are just guests in the sky that go and disappear, leaving the sky behind. “
Okay, that’s great for Haruki Murakami . However, for the rest of us, the thoughts that come up while running are more like, “Okay, I’ve been getting ready for about an hour, oh wait, no, it’s only been five minutes, okay, okay, time for a walk break.” How would I nor wanted to be a meditative runner , sometimes it takes impressive mental gymnastics to get from one mile to the next.
But there’s no reason to let the simple prospect of boredom create an obstacle before you even lace up your shoes – if you need to distract yourself from the fact that you are running, here are some mind games you can play to keep time flying by. a little bit faster.
Count up
Listen to me about this. As much as I hate mental math in most cases, this trick works both as a way to pass the time and as a motivation tool. You can use your brain by converting miles to minutes, breaking down distance into smaller chunks, or maybe even converting time goals into TV episodes. “I have only three miles left. It’s one mile, three times. I can do it. It’s about 30 minutes, which is only half of the Legacy episode , okay, only 29 minutes left … “
“Just to the next …”
… a tree, road sign or any other checkpoint that is in your field of vision. Once you reach this landmark, you can allow yourself to stop running. You might be surprised how often you run one checkpoint to create the next one.
Travel Games
The same games you used as a kid on your long car rides are fantastic singles games where your runs will fly by. Try any variant of the alphabet game, for example, match items for each letter (A for attractive runners, B for bridges, C for crazy drivers … you get the idea). Set yourself up a scavenger hunt, create a backstory for every stranger you see – let your imagination run with you.
Rehearse something
Do you know those conversations and speeches that are uttered in the bathroom mirror? Take them with you on the road. A lot of my runs are about warm-ups and practice stand-up comedy that I may or may not ever perform on stage. Likewise, my enemies will never understand how many times I have destroyed them in conversation during my long runs. When you are deluded, time flies by!
Make mental lists
There was a moment in my life when I could list all the names of every statue I walked past on my running route (Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, for anyone curious). Try to quote all the presidents of the United States, French verb conjugations, some sports statistics – whatever interests you.
Even more tricks to make running fun
In addition to the brain games above, here are some more secrets on how to learn to run :
- Run with your friends
- Replacing music with podcasts
- Listen to new music
- Learn a new running route
- Add zombies
My last tip: no matter how far you go, the first mile is always the most difficult psychologically. Eventually, you will find your way to a place where you are not too aware of the fact that you are running. Do it slowly , let your mind wander, and you may even start to love running .