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My Problem Defined

Alright, I’m pretty sure the big reason I’m feeling tired and unmotivated and beat up has to do with me… and my own brain processes… and negative thoughts.

I ran yesterday with a friend, she’s a natural runner and speed comes to her easily. While running I didn’t pay any attention to my Garmin; pace, time, distance… Well, a little bit of attention to time because I had to get to work and she had her son’s preschool schedule. But I definitely ignored the pace & distance factors. The whole run felt easy and enjoyable, we just talked non-stop about various things in life and when we wrapped it up I was surprised to see that we had done 4 miles at a 9:00 pace. I know that’s not super fast to some of you, and I’ve run 5Ks faster than that, but for just a simple little run around the neighborhood full of chit-chat that was surprising to me.

The big thing was that I didn’t just sit there inside my head, tearing myself to pieces or dissecting all of the problems in my life (and in the lives of everyone I care about), I just enjoyed the moment with a good friend.

I don’t always have someone to run with, and there are definitely times where I would prefer to run on my own… but I need to find some ways to change the thought patterns going on in my head. Because if I can just get out of my own head, I am WAY stronger than I give myself credit for. Perhaps it is time to break out my copy of Brain Training For Runners again.

Completely Unrelated Side Note: Have you seen the new 10:05 pant from SkirtSports? It looks like a pricey form of jeggings or Pajama Jeans. I’ve never worn jeggings, nor do I own any leggings… but I just have a really hard time thinking they would look right on me. The other day I tweeted that I needed an app to tell me what I should wear each day to look cute and be comfortable. Judging by the response, a lot of people feel the same way. I’m guilty of wearing yoga pants around home all day (or a pair of jeans that are several sizes too big because I’m terrible at judging my own size) but I’m not sure I could be comfortable in pants like these as everyday wear either.

Do any of you wear jeggings or Pajama Jeans? I’m not judging, just curious!

16 Responses to "My Problem Defined"

kari haskell says:

March 17, 2011 at 7:15 am

Iiwii
We are so our own worst enemies. I know how hard it is to get out of your own head and out of your own WAY. Easier said than done…but I am so glad when we get the chance to RELAX and enjoy the moment.

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1. Jill Will Run says:
  
  March 17, 2011 at 12:53 pm
  
  I still love iiwii… I’m using that a lot lately. (You should market that!)
  
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Erin says:

March 17, 2011 at 9:42 am

Yeah……no….. no leggings or jeggings or pajama jeans here. I love real jeans or just yoga pants.

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Terri says:

March 17, 2011 at 12:39 pm

Um….no…on the jeggings and pajama jeans. I personally don’t like the way jeggings look, especially on guys. It’s just kind of…well….wrong! Looser jeans always a better look on them in my opinion.

And I hear you about the negative thoughts while running. Preparing for a race, I can stay positive. Start the race, feel like I’m dying, and before you know it, I walked a bit in a 5K. Ridiculous!! Maybe I should check out that book too!

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1. Jill Will Run says:
  
  March 17, 2011 at 12:52 pm
  
  Oh hell… this tight pants trend on guys lately is ridiculous. Maybe this just means that I’m getting old, but I think so many young guys look silly in their tight pants, especially when they have to wear them halfway down or just below their butt. What is up with that style? They have to walk weird just to keep their pants slightly up. (I’m old, huh?!)
  
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lindsay says:

March 17, 2011 at 6:47 pm

i kind of wanted skinny jeans but they look STUPID on me. i looked like an upside down triangle… so i “resisted”. i’m kinda tempted by the pajama jeans though… i won’t lie. i’m sure they do not look remotely cool in person though.

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Amanda @ The Hungry Wanderers says:

March 17, 2011 at 9:29 pm

In terms of the negativity in your head when you run alone, have you tried getting back into yoga (or are you still doing it)? Perhaps getting back into a practice of meditation might decrease those negative thoughts or you might be able to incorporate some of the yoga style stuff into your runs? Good luck!

P.S. I’ve been getting into running on and off (currently off) so I’m way impressed by your 9 minute miles on your casual run

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1. Jill Will Run says:
  
  March 20, 2011 at 9:37 am
  
  I had really gotten out of the habit of yoga for a couple months, but I’ve been making it a point to do it more this past week and it really makes a huge difference in my life! I appreciate the reminder! I also want to delve into meditation more, I just need to strike a better balance of feeling like I’m taking care of my family AND taking care of myself at the same time!
  
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Irish Cream says:

March 20, 2011 at 11:49 am

Hi Jill!! I am finally getting around to catching up with everyone (it’s about time!!). Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I feel your pain on this one. The weird thing is that when I run with my boyfriend (which I often do), I still manage to find ways to let the negative talk in. It’s like I’m so used to running with him that I apparently feel comfortable enough to allow it creep in. This is going to sound silly, but the main way I’ve fixed this problem in my past is through actively recognizing when I start having negative thoughts and then forcing myself to turn it around and say something positive about myself. It feels a little silly at first, but before long, it really does seem to change your thought patterns.

Oh, and I’ve never owned/worn jeggings or pajama jeans, but I am definitely a little bit tempted by the idea of pajama jeans. Lately, I’ve become a huge fan of comfy little sun dresses. I think I developed this preference because A) pants NEVER seem to fit me right, and B) I realized it was much easier to put on ONE thing than try to figure out what pants/skirts/shorts and tops go together. So really, it’s mostly a case of being lazy! But hey, it seems to be working out for me now that I’m in Texas, where it’s warm enough to wear sun dresses most days of the year!!

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1. Jill Will Run says:
  
  March 20, 2011 at 3:49 pm
  
  It doesn’t sound silly at all… Trust me, I’ve been reading enough psychology stuff to know that kind of stuff works! That’s actually “thought stopping”, it’s just hard to remember to implement it in life at times!
  
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Emilie says:

March 20, 2011 at 12:08 pm

I look ridiculous in skinny jeans, which is kind of annoying because where I live it seems like if you’re *not* wearing skinny jeans you are the furthest thing from fashionable. A girl can’t win, I tell you. I don’t really like those 10:05 pants, they just don’t do it for me at all.

Good for you for identifying how much your thoughts have been impacting you. It can be so hard to step back and recognize how painful and destructive our thought patterns can be, especially because we get so used to them. I hope you can start to get a handle on some of the more negative thinking!

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1. Jill Will Run says:
  
  March 20, 2011 at 3:44 pm
  
  I look ridiculous in skinny jeans too! Even when I was at one of my lower scary weights, I tried on some and they still didn’t look right. I’m stuck in a major fashion rut because so much of what is trendy seems to be the skinny jean look, but I can’t pull it off!
  
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~moe~ says:

March 20, 2011 at 12:39 pm

Ah, the pain of negative thoughts. I struggle with this one a lot. A LOT, I tell you. A friend of mine on DM reminded me the other day that it’s okay to cry when running, just keep breathing and keep on running. And then I’ve been reading “Mile Markers” by Kristin Armstrong and she had a section in Chapter 6 called “Living in the Moment” about flipping the switch from the sad Kristin to the real Kristin. I’m still working on that too. I’m curious on the “Brain Training” book…I’m going to have to get that one. I have a marathon coming up in two months and I need to get my brain on track. Thanks!

As for the 10:05 pants…nope. Those are just a nope, on so many levels. Plus I have this thing – if I wear jeans around the house, I’m less likely to overeat because there’s no “give” in jeans. If I’m in yoga pants there’s a lot more stretch which allows for a lot more ice cream.

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1. Jill Will Run says:
  
  March 20, 2011 at 3:43 pm
  
  I’ll have to look into Kristin Armstrong’s book!
  
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thea says:

March 21, 2011 at 6:12 pm

I’m all too familiar with negative chatter. I’ve found yoga has helped a lot. Also, when I start to get really down on myself, I try to talk to myself like I would one of my kids. Instead of trying to wipe the fears or insecurities away by telling myself I’m being silly, I think about how I would talk to my daughter in that situation. The first time I tried it, was quite a shock, and felt much more natural then the “false” feeling pep talk I would do. I like to think of it as taking care of the scared little girl inside me

Love your blog by the way! So glad I found it!

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1. Jill Will Run says:
  
  March 21, 2011 at 8:26 pm
  
  Thank you… this is such a beautiful sentiment. I really like this and needed this!
  
  Reply

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