How I Get Over Nervousness Before a Long Run

Sunday, August 30, 2015

The I'm running long again!  So thankful.

These long runs, however, have come with a new challenge.  

Lately, I have been finding myself getting nervous before these longer efforts.  I don't remember this being the case pre-injury when I was running more consistently.  Well, at least not noticeably the case.  I think I'm getting anxious before runs these days partially because of wanting to be cautious about my ramp-up and partially because of intimidation of the mileage.  I thought about it some at the beginning of the summer and decided that there were things I could do to help me not over-think long runs.

Here are a few things that have been helping me with my long run nervousness.

1.  Map out runs ahead of time

I've found that mapping out my long runs a day or two before takes some of the pressure off.  Running 10+ miles in the city is hard.  You can go through many towns at that distance and it sometimes becomes nerve wracking to map out a good route.  I use Gmap-pedometer to map out all of my routes.  Doing it before the day helps clear my mind and is one less thing I have to obsess about. 

2.  Know where to get water

Staying hydrated during runs is always a big concern of mine.  Planning out my stops ahead of time makes things seem smoother in my head.  Especially in the summer [and because I sweat a lot] I like to make sure I have a plan for refilling my water bottle or getting a sports drinks on my run.  The Boston area has very limited free outside fountains but most of the colleges have public spaces that I can just pop into and refil as needed.  I also don't mind stopping at a store or pharmacy to get Vitamin Water or Gatorade.  

3.  Prep gear ahead of time

This is a trick I use for race day.  I lay everything out the night before:  what I'm wearing, what food I will eat.  I pack my fanny pack and I fill my bottles and put them in the fridge.  The only thing Ieft for the morning is getting dressed and storing my phone.  I can definitely get caught up in the details so having everything laid out ahead of time gives me less excuse to procrastinate getting out of the house.

4. Don't think too much!

"Stopping thinking about it and get out there"!  This is what I tell myself before long runs.  Sometimes, I get way too into my own head and I over-think everything.  What's the worst that can happen?  I get tired and have to call it quits?  I almost always feel better about the run once I've actually started.  Thinking about doing an 18 miler is much more intimidating than actually running an 18 miler.  Trust the training! 




My new gps watch is definitely helping as well.  For shorter runs, I can just go out and literally turn around once the gps reads half the distance.  Longer runs definitely take more planning but I like the flexibility.  With the gps, I can adjust the run on the go and still be confident in the mileage.  For example if something went wrong on the run (took a wrong turn, etc.)  I can see exactly how far I went and choose on the spot to turn back or keep going based on the distance.


How about you?
Do you get nervous before long runs?
What pre-run rituals help you prepare?

Why So Silent

Monday, August 3, 2015


Dear Faithful Blog Followers,

It has been a while. I have been struggling with the failing hard drive on my computer for months.  It finally went kaput and I immediately realized that I had been avoiding using it and consequently neglecting my blog.

So, here I am trying to get back on track.

Below is a little of what I've been up to the last three months.

I ran a Ragnar Relay.


I signed up for the Bay State Marathon.


I climbed a big mountain!

More updates on each of those things coming real soon.  First, I need to buy a new computer. Blogging on my phone is no fun.

Happy running!