16 Replies to “Don’t Try So Hard: Trying to Force Your Running Won’t Work…Relax”

  1. I can so get in the mindset! I can feel really tired and start to feel like this big slacker, and then I realize something. I am human! I have limits! 🙂 I know that when I relax and just do what my body can, I end up doing more! Make sense? Love this Cait!

    • glad i was able to help relieve that ‘self-imposed guilt’ we sometimes feel…running and training works on the law of averages. 🙂

  2. i related a lot to this post. its amazing to me how much that i am (now) realizing the stress of last year was playing out into my running. i had SO much going on at school…i never realized how much of that stress i carried in my body until now that most of its over and when i run i FINALLY feel light and free. its a good feeling. even the sluggish runs just feel less weighted in a way. i think running was good for me then too because it was a release i needed but i forced it a lot and it took a toll on me. this year im enjoying just running to run. its a nice break from the forced feeling 🙂

    • i’m glad u could relate and i think it’s incredible how insightful u’ve continued to become reading both ur runs, yourself, and how the two are interconnected. seriously, the whole psychology thing is perfect for u, i kno how much u help so many other people with all of ur sage advice and thoughts. i’m glad that this year u are able to run sans the weight and are more attuned to ur body…keep it up girl. both the runs and the words. 🙂

  3. Wow! So often, you write a post that contains just what I needed to hear. This came just in time for my 1/2 marathon on Saturday. Thank you!! And, I like the 3rd background the best!

  4. Great post Cait!!!!! I actually over think all these things while running – so backfired! lol I’m like, relax your shoulders…..your mouth, stop grinding your teeth. lol

    • haha…the teeth grinder, been there, done that. 😉 shaking the arms and then opening my mouth real wide helps loosen me out. 🙂

  5. Cait, I love this post! It took me years to figure out that forcing a workout was wasted effort and that I was more then likely not going to gain anything from it. These days I try to head outdoors pressure free and with 100% flexibility for what the road ahead leads to. Since I’ve stopped being such a neurotic freak, it has been a heck of a lot easier to get in workouts of higher quality.

    Going to post about your shirts today…so excited to share 🙂

    • u really have been doing awesome with taking the more relaxed day by day/read ur body approach and i’m so proud of u for that. not just because u’re running is doing so well, but because it’s also been much better for ur sanity too! 🙂 keep it up girl and u are THE BEST for helping spread the word on my shirts. u are, after all, the brainspark that got the particular design in motion. 😉

  6. Pingback: Trying to Force Running Wont Work | Smart Running

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