How to learn to love running solo – Runner’s World (UK)

In these times of social distance, use these psychological tools from sports psychologist Dr Noel Brick if you struggle with running on your own.

Health expert’s advice on social distancing is key to containing coronavirus. That advice will make solo runners of most of us.

For some runners, that’s a challenge. Running with others can help you stick to your plans and get you through the miles. Without that support, you might feel a little daunted at the prospect of running solo. You might even worry you’ll fall out of your running routine. But there are lots of things you can focus on to make solo running feel easier. It starts with learning to keep your regular training schedule and habits.

1.Don’t kick the habit

If you had been training for a big race, now can be a good time to scale back your weekly volume and intensity, and reset your focus. But this doesn’t mean stopping completely. Keeping some of your usual running habits will help you maintain the gains you made during your previous training cycle.

Sticking to training habits can be hard, however, if you no longer have a motivating goal event. Habits are usually set in motion by a trigger (like a reminder to join a group run) and when these triggers disappear, our actions can change, too.

One solution is to recognise other triggers that will maintain your running habits. You might go for a run at your normal training time (a trigger), even if your run is shorter than it had been. And putting your gear on first thing in the morning (a trigger) and placing your running shoes by the door (a trigger) will help you keep to a schedule. Creating plans to cope with challenges will also keep you on track. It can be useful to think of this plan as having an ‘if’ part and a ‘then’ part. The ‘if’ is the event and the ‘then’ is what you will do in response. When you feel less motivated to run solo, a plan that says, ‘If I don’t feel like running, then I will put my shoes on and step outside before I decide’ might help you get started on a run. Once we get started, we’re more likely to continue. The following strategies will also help make that solo run feel easier.

2. Tune out

If you are able to run safely in a park or other natural environment, it can improve your solo running experience. Running anywhere is a great way to improve our mental health. But recent research has also shown that exercising in natural environments further helps to reduce stress and worry, and lift our mood. Focusing on nature’s scenery and sounds also makes running feel more pleasant and enjoyable, shifting your attention away from the discomfort you might otherwise feel.

If running in nature isn’t an option, listening to music can be a great way of passing solitary training time. When you are creating your playlist, pick songs that you find motivating. Tunes that match your cadence help your running rhythm. If you’re used to chatting with a running partner, podcasts can be an excellent way to tune out and, maybe, learn something.

3. Tune in: pace like a pro

Although tuning out can take your mind off effort-related sensations, tuning in to how you feel and developing your mental skills can make solo running feel easier. Noticing tension in your muscles or face, and using that as a cue to relax your hands and arms, or to smile, can improve running economy.

Similarly, focusing periodically on your breathing can build your pacing skills. One of the biggest mistakes runners make is going too hard at the start of the race. Tuning in to how you feel can help you avoid this scenario. Noticing that your breathing is too heavy can be a cue to slow down.

Fine-tuning pacing skills will help prepare you for your race. It can also be fun to make a game of this in training. Try running a mile at what feels like a certain pace (say, 9:00min/mile), and check your watch when the mile is complete. How close to that pace did you get? Repeating this strategy passes the training miles and will help you learn what different paces feel like and so avoid going too hard at the start of your next race.

You might even find that running without a watch can help you reconnect with the intrinsic joy of running. After an intense training period in the build-up to your postponed race, going for a run without any plan for time or distance can be liberating.

4. Tune in: talk like a pro

Another mental skill you might not focus on when running with others is self-talk. Often, when running gets hard, like at the 20-mile point of a marathon, our thoughts become negative, eg ‘Why am I doing this?’ You might repeat similar things when suddenly running solo all the time.

But learning to cope with the discomfort that leads to these thoughts is important. Studies show that repeating more-positive statements such as ‘You can do this’ helps make running feel easier, builds confidence, and gets you through difficult moments.

Changing your self-talk takes practice, however. Your solo runs can be a great time to try this. Take the following steps:

• Step 1: Identify the kind of thoughts you normally have when running gets tough.
• Step 2: Develop a list of motivational statements to counter negative thoughts.
• Step 3: Practise your self-talk statements and find the ones that work best for you.
• Step 4: Plan when these might be most useful for you in future.

5. Set it, say it, see it

Staying committed to solo running might be challenging. Setting new goals that inspire you, such as targeting a time you would like to achieve, will help you regain focus. There are many things you can do to help stick with your goals. Telling your running group, family or friends about your new race goals can help you stay committed to them.

Using mental imagery to see yourself toe a start line, or raise your arms as you cross a finish line, can build your commitment and help you stay motivated. You can also use imagery to visualise yourself overcoming difficult race moments, like thoughts about quitting, using your new self-talk skills.

Strategies such as tuning out, improving your pacing, learning to relax or developing your self-talk can all help make solo running feel easier. And refining these skills will help you feel more confident when you take to the start line for your next race.

Dr Noel Brick is a lecturer and researcher in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Ulster University, Northern Ireland. His book, Think Like an Athlete, is scheduled to be published in 2021.

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