What Do People Think About When They Run?

If you’re the type of person that is either training to become healthier or is looking for an escape, you’ve undoubtedly tried to run. Many people who haven’t had the ability to go out for a brisk jog in the morning or a quick run at night always find themselves wondering, “What do people think about when they run?” Even when you’re driving down the street and see a group of people jogging, you might question what they think about while they work out.

Although we’d love to say that we’re mind readers and can figure out what every person we come across may be thinking about, it’s not a possibility. With that being said, there are dozens of different things people may be thinking about when they start to hit the pavement.

1. Training

The most common thing that people think about when they’re running is their training. You’re in a position where you’re pushing your body to the limit in order to become a healthier person, whether you’re trying to reach a certain distance you’ve never reached before or if you’re just trying to get through your workout. It’s common for people to focus on what they’re doing at that very moment in order to stay motivated; otherwise, you might lose your desire to run.

Perhaps they’re training for a big marathon or maybe they’re trying to lose 30 pounds within a year. Regardless, the most likely thought running through their mind is how strong they’ve become compared to where they first started. Or, how strong they want to become when compared to their current performance.

2. Life Problems

Running can be a great way to escape your problems, especially if you’re the type of person that likes to isolate yourself from everything else and focus on something beneficial. There are plenty of things people can be worried about from making ends meet to dealing with a difficult relationship. At times, you’re going to need to find a way to separate yourself from all of the bad things going on and focus on something positive.

Considering the majority of people go out for a run by themselves (or with their favorite playlist of music), it’s the perfect time for self-reflection. You might even find that after going on a long trek you’ll come up with a variety of solutions to help you get through the toughest times in your life.

It’s also common for people to go out for a run if they’re trying to kick a bad habit such as smoking. It’s a phenomenal way to take your mind off of wanting to do things you should be avoiding and to pay more attention to becoming a healthier and happier individual.

3. Personal Goals and Aspirations

Everyone has goals, whether you want to be able to work towards getting that raise you’ve always wanted or if you simply want to become a better runner by the end of the year. As mentioned, running is a great way to help your mind focus on what’s going on in your life instead of allowing yourself to get overwhelmed. It’s equally as beneficial to help to think about your personal goals and aspirations.

You might be someone who prefers to focus on their current goals, or you could find that creating new aspirations while out on a run is a better way to spend your time. Once you get to the point where your endorphins start kicking in from physically exerting yourself, you’re going to experience a rush of energy and positivity. You’d be surprised at the sheer amount of creativity that could be hidden in the back of your brain that you can use to your advantage to create lists of goals you want to achieve in your lifetime.

4. Nothing

In all honesty, there’s a huge possibility that people think about absolutely nothing while they’re running and that’s perfectly normal. In fact, being able to completely separate yourself from everything in your life might be the perfect dose of medicine that you’ve been waiting for all day. It’s easy to get lost in the world when you throw on your running gear and head out for a couple of hours. In fact, it’s probably the healthiest thing that you can do for your mind.

Put on your favorite soundtrack and just mindlessly go for a run in your neighborhood. You can at least take your mind off of everyday events for a couple of hours.

5. Family

Aside from your work and yourself, your family is the most important thing that you have in your life and although they can be frustrating at times, they’re the support system you rely on every day. There are plenty of family-related concerns you can focus on while you run and if you’re a parent, you’ve undoubtedly caught yourself thinking about your family at one point or another.

For example, if your teenage daughter is going through a difficult time at school and you can’t quite come up with a solution to ease her worries, going on a run can help you to think about how you can help. Or perhaps you’re simply just proud of all of the accomplishments your family has experienced over the years and you’re reflecting on the struggles you had to go through to get to those positive experiences.

As a family oriented person, it’s not surprising to find your mind drifting off into thoughts about how great the people in your inner circle are and how proud you are to have them.

Running is not only an activity that is physically rewarding, it is mentally rewarding as well. Being able to take some time out of your day to get rid of stress, build more muscle, and lose fat is not only going to make you feel better about yourself and your life but also clear your mind and prepare you for anything life decides to throw your way in the future. You might not be a mind reader, but it’s pretty easy to guess what other runners are thinking about while they’re working out.