Your Running Fears - A Summary from Runner's World Magazine Dec 2011

The Fears and The Fix

David Goggins, an ultramarathoner at the Badwater 135 miles Ultramarathon 

Hitting the Wall - Go Round It. 

Energy gels every 40 minutes or you are running at a pace your body wasn't prepared to handle.

"If you run into a wall, climb it, go through it or work around it." ~ Michael Jordan.

Falling Behind - Close the Gap Quickly.

Stiffness or fatigue is a reason for not keeping up or running with a group that's too fast. More recovery time in future and find a slower group.

"Second place is not a defeat. It is a stimulation to get better". ~ Carlos Lopes, Olympic marathon gold medallist.

Not Hitting Time Goals - Tweak your Targets.

Could be a result of a bad day or overly ambitious targets. Adjust your targets so not to be overly ambitious.

"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm".  ~ Winston Churchill.

Tacking Hard Hills - Put in Perspective

To conquer your dread of hill repeats in training, Boston Marathoner winner Lisa Rainberger suggests running hills by time, not distance. "Knowing when you'll get to stop takes the fear away."

"Hills are speed work in disguise" ~ Frank Shorter

Getting Injured - Train Smarter

Start winning your battle with the injury demons by increasing weekly mileage by no more than 10 per cent, separating long runs, tempo runs and speed workouts by at least 48 hours, and understanding that more isn't always more. 

"Good things come slow - especially in distance running" ~ Bill Dellinger, running coach and triple Olympian.

Not Losing Weight  - Check your Diet Diary

Despite evidence of carb intake boosting performance before, during and after running, you'll add pounds if you overeat. You don't need extra carbs for runs of an hour or less.

"Without ice cream, there would be darkness and chaos" ~ Don Kardong, Olympic marathoner and running author.

Race Day Anxiety - Channel the Fear

Visualising positive race scenarios during warm-up, such as tiring but coming back strong with a second wind. Remind yourself of the solid training you have done and tell yourself "I'm ready to do my best."

"The greatest stimulator of my running was fear" ~ Herb Elliot, triple Olympic champion.

Needing a "Pitstop" - Follow a Fuel Plan

Try any new food or drink before an everyday run, not a long run or  a race, when a pitstop would be difficult and embarrassing. Also, don't eat too much the night before, and avoid new, spicy, dairy, high-fibre foods and alcohol.

"Courage is fear holding on a minute longer" ~ George Patton World War II General

Resistance from Family - Comprise

Take time to explain why running is important to you. And try to find ways to run without taking time away from them. 

"Every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act is founded on compromise and barter" ~ Edmund Burke, Irish statesman and author

Fading with Age - Set Different Goals

Everyone slows down eventually because aerobic capacity drops off as we age. So if you choose to stay in the running game, you need to renew and review your goals.

"Time is the one immaterial object we cannot influence - neither speed up nor slow down" ~ Maya Angelou, author