I walked into my spin class and judged the teacher right away. Don’t act like you don’t do that too. I thought to myself….oh good, today will be nice and easy and I can do more cardio after if I don’t feel like I did enough.
4 minutes into class I had to put my hair into my sumo wrestler bun. Attractive I know. You are welcome for cropping this photo….you would have lost your lunch with the amount of sweat on me.
The sumo bun occurs when I can’t have a hair touching me because my neck, face, back, shoulders are drenched and the thought of hair sticking to it makes me nauseated.
After spin I went out to the weights and did 3 sets of 12 push-ups and 3 sets of lat pull-downs and a few bicep curls.
The stair master caught my eye and lured me over. During a previous knee injury and having to cut running out I used the stair master to keep up my cardio endurance and boy did it.
10 minutes on that baby=more tired than my 11 miler on Saturday. 4 minutes in and all I could say was ‘I CAN’ with each step and I finished up. My brain is easily distracted so just saying two words over and over again can get me through the tough stuff.
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What words/phrases do YOU say to yourself to power through when a workout/run gets tough.
How do you wear your hair (details with bobbi pins/head bands etc would be greatly appreciated) when you are working out?
61 comments
Rachael @ Happy Healthy Runner
Usually with things like the stair master or my least favorite, the elliptical, I just remind myself that I can run mile upon mile so I can ellipticize for 45 minutes.
Janae
You are so so right……why is it so easy to want to run and run and run but doing a few minutes on a machine nearly kills us!
Kelli
This past weekend I completed my first sprint triathlon of the summer. During the run (which was a 5K), I just kept repeating (in my head, not out loud :)) “your race, your pace”. Thank goodness no one was inside my head, they would have thought I was nutso!
Janae
AHHH CONGRATS ON YOUR TRIATHLON!!! Girl, you are HARD CORE!!! I love what you kept telling yourself…I may have to copy that one!
Jamie aka "Sometimes Healthy" Girl
Ohhh I say a lot of stuff to myself. Some appropriate, some not. hehe. Sometimes I say, “Suck it up Hammy! (nickname) You’ve got friends that have given birth to children – if they can do that, you can finish this workout.” That usually works for me.
I wear my hair in an incredibly unattractive sloppy bun when I work out. I assume this is why I have not yet met my future husband at the gym.
michele
I did the stairs today for 20 minutes at level 10 and it almost killed me!! I was also drenched in sweat. My hair is short enough, that when I put it in a pony tail, it doesn’t touch me. I hate when my hair touches a part of me that is drenched in sweat, too!
Emily@RunningPerspective
oh i alwaysssssss gotta put my hair up in a bun cause i HATE hair anywhere in my face/ touching me
it just distracts me. and annoys me throughout my entire workout
i just basically am like my own little cheerleader and tell myself i am awesomeeeeeee even if i am running at a pace slower than a grandmother walks.
hahahah im like oh yeah im the bestttt. whatevsssssss no one can hear me…thank god hahaha!
Camilla
I do that too! Today during my 6 miler I kept saying: I’m a baller! You can touch this! I’m so freaking awesome! ;) Oh, I’m so crazy!
Camilla
*can’t… oops!
Emily@RunningPerspective
hahah i am so stealing that “you can’t touch this” line! hahah classiccc!
Janae
I AM STEALING THAT ONE TOO!!!!!
Sarah H
I say the word “decide” on the uphills (like “decide to be a badass”) and then “recover” on the downhills. The boy (joking around) says he repeats the word “vagina” on the downhills….oh jeez. :P sorry if this is too x-rated for your blog!!
liza
Sometimes I put my hair in a pony tail and then braid the ponytail.
Yolie @ Practising Wellness
Dude, I just posted about getting through a tough workout today – fun coincidence! :-D I repeat in my head “you can do it!” or tell myself over and over how well I am doing – I always try to be nice to myself :-) I wear my hair in a pony tail with bobby pins securing any strays around the front – it’s definitely not stylish but does the job! :-P xyx
Hannah
haha this is funny.. because although I dont usually have mantras during my marathon in april at one point i started thinking to myself..” just keep swimming, just keep swimming” from Nemo!! I was not swimming but it helped!!!
I usually have a band and hair up in a mess.. — cannot stand having hair all over (pet peeve, seeing girls with their hair down while working out, you obviously are NOT at the gym to work out if your hair is Down!!!)
Nora
I always put my hair up so I can’t feel it when I spin.. drives me nuts!
Allison
Hmmmm. I don’t know if I so much think of a word, but I think back to the times that I pushed out my babies with no pain meds during birth (2 out of 3). Nada. Zip. Zilch.
Nothing hurts worse than that. Takes you to a whole new pain threshold entirely. ;-)
I’m a headband/ponytail girl for workouts.
adria biasi
I count to 10 one each beat on one leg and switch legs back and forth. I go from 10, 9, 8,,,all the way down to 1 and repeat going up 1 to10. Sounds crazy but makes time fly for me… Most runners are thought of as crazy anyways so its ok :)
XLMIC
I usually resort to “just go” over and over. It’s short and easy… even when you want to stop. Sometimes it gets even shortened to “go”. lol Really.
I put my really obscenely-thick hair into a high ponytail and then pull it through the elastic about 1/3 of the way one more time… makes a super weird-looking topknot out the back of my head… but it doesn’t touch me that way and it won’t fall down :)
Holly @Pink Runner
Ponytail with BIC band! I do hate when my ponytail swings when I run or when it sticks to my neck bc I’m so sweaty!!
Nikki @ The Worth Of My Sole
“Don’t Stop”
I wear a hat when I run because I hate it when my hair stings me in the face. Other than that it goes in a pony!
Christina @ The Athletarian
I hate hair sticking to my face and back as well. I use a thick headband and put it up in a high bun or ponytail so it can’t touch me! If I never need any motivating, I just tell myself “you are strong” over and over again. It helps during weight training too. I tend to stick to lighter weights all the time but I have to convince myself I am stronger than I think I am and then just GO FOR IT. It usually works :)
Emily @ Perfection Isn't Happy
My hair is so thick that it always seems to start to fall out no matter how I wear it! I usually put it in a bun on top of my head with one hair tie, pulling back any loose ends with bobby pins. It’s not very attractive, but it keeps it off my face.
Ashten
I have to wear high ponytails because messy buns beat my head to death when I run. And my bangs must be bobbi pinned back at all times. As far as a workout mantra, I just keep telling myself I can do anything for 3 minutes or how ever long the time is. Works like a charm.
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
Since most of my cardio is running, it’s usually “you can do ANYTHING for a mile”!
My hair is too short for anything other than a half ponytail. It looks like a mullet from behind because the lower hair is too short to stay in the ponytail. Hot.
Trisha
I put my hair in a bun at the top of my head with two hair bands then use those clippy bobby pin type things around my head for flyaways. I like wearing headbands, but they don’t work well when I have to wear sunglasses while running.
Gen
I basically pull my hair into a ponytail and clip back any remotely loose strand….its sort of short and I HATE when my hair sticks to my neck!!!
Alecia
I repeated “thank you sir, may I have another” as my trail run last night was kicking my ass.
Janae
AHHH I LOVE THAT!!! I am going to have to use that one!
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn
HAHA I love you. I totally 100% judge spin teachers. Good thing I plan on being the “cool” spin teacher
Janae
GIRL!!! I am going to have to fly out just to take your spin classes….you are going to be the BEST!
dana @ my little celebration
I know this is so lame and white girl of me, but I literally say to myself “you got this, girl!” while I’m running to get me through.
OK, laugh, laugh. I know. It’s totally embarrassing.
Janae
BAHAHA YOU ALWAYS MAKE ME LAUGH!!! That is not embarrassing…I say the same stuff!
Holly
not sure on the mantras- depends on the day and if i’m alone or with my husband. i tend to yell more when i’m with him- not at him, just in general- probably because when i’m with him i don’t let my pace just slack. yes, i’m competitive, and yes, he’s a saint! :)
hair must be up! if i’m working out indoors (spin, yoga, etc), it’s in a pony tail (sometimes with the ends tucked up) and i have a headband to keep the shorter pieces out of my face. if i’m outside, it’s in a pony tail with either a visor or hat on (unless i’m on my bike in which case it’s just like inside- pony w/ headband under my helmet).
Stefanie @TheNewHealthy
I totally do the sumo bun when I’m super sweaty! I can’t have a hair touching me either! Plus, it’s downright attractive. ;)
Elisa
My Mantra is, “Conquer it!” I completed my first half marathon last month and I had it painted on my nails to remind me!
Janae
AHHH CONGRATS ON YOUR FIRST HALF-MARATHON….YOU ARE AMAZING and I am going to copy your mantra!
Run Lily
I totally know how you feel. Sweat and sticky hair = eww. When I run, I tie my hair in a bun and shove it all under my cap. Working out, I usually add a headband to really keep all the little stray hairs away from my face. :)
Dorry
I can’t stand having my hair touch sweaty skin – ewww! Makes me cringe. I usually have a big bun of sorts on my head with a couple of bobby pins for yoga, and ponytail or braid for running. On my bike, I always wear my pink baseball cap! Keeps the hair away and sun out of my eyes.
Janae
WHAT ABOUT THE PURPLE HAT!?!?! Please tell me you are still wearing that. Good call on the braid…I am going to have to copy that one!! LOVE YOU MY DEAR FRIEND!
Lindsay@ In Sweetness and In Health
When my hair is long enough, I pull into a baby ponytail, wear a headband, and wear 4 bobby pins on top and 1 on each side. :)
lindsay
oh I totally do the sumo bun with needed or braids. Braids help a lot when you where a visor all the time. Neck sweat is the worst. haha.
Welcome back stair master. Legs burning yet?
running ricig
everytime I work out I have to have a sumo bun, mostly because I sweat like a man doing any kind of athletic activity.
Janae
Oh girl….we are both manly sweaters:)
Tiffany
If I am having a really hard time on the treadmill, like trying to do a long run with tired legs; I sometimes count in my head and I don’t get to look at the distance on the treadmill until I get to 100 or something.
Workout hair for me is: 3 ouchless hair ties (I have thick hair) 2 for the ponytail and 1 to make it a bun; plus a headband for my bangs
Ashley
I’m the same way – I hate the feeling of hair on my skin when I’m working out. I’ll usually throw it up into a bun with these bad boys: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Scunci+No+Damage+Elastics+Hair+Ties+Black&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=3120161201050699318&sa=X&ei=_2cKTufZKITUiAKXv_naAQ&ved=0CEwQ8wIwBA. I love those hair ties!! They don’t break – ever! I hoard them like crazy! I think I buy a package of them every time I go into Walgreens – I must have 8 packages in my house. I don’t wear headbands because they don’t stay on my head =( They fall off my head every 15 seconds, so all I have are my hair ties (all million of them…)
Janae
THANKS FOR THE LINK!!! I will be getting them!!! You are the greatest!
ashley @ ashley's adventures in alaska
I put it up with one rubber band as tight as possible, then use another one to secure all of my long hair in a big messy bun, and then use one of my awesome Eklaar headbands to keep the sweat out of my face and the hair from touching me. I can’t stand for my hair to come loose or stick to me!
Adrienne S
I totally go with the bun at the back of head.
Also-I totally judge every instructor everytime I walk into a class. I have been known to walk in a door and right back out if the instructor is one I do not care for.
Kelly @foodiefresh
I have to pull my bangs back in a little poof or to the side with bobby pins, then I do a mid to high pony tail. My pony tail is getting long enough now that it touches the back of my neck when it is high so I might have to start looping it under.
Samantha
I tell myself I’ll be letting no one but myself down if I dont power through the workout – I have a mega fear of failure. MEGA. And I fear letting myself down more than anything, so I say, “How are you going to feel if you don’t finish” “You’ve got this” “You can do it”.
Hair – well… it’s complicated. It’s growing out from one of those inverted bob thingies, and it’s curly. So… it’s as much hair as I can pull up into a bun type thingy, then the rest (including bangs) secured with thousands of bobbie pins (I may be exaggerating). And one of those stretchy headband thingys to keep all the frizz back (there’s a lot of that – now I am NOT exaggerating). I am the same as you – no hair touching anywhere when I am sweating, EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.
Jenny Finnegan
My hair is always up, either a ponytail or bun. Sometimes I think I should just shave my head because I never wear it down anyway. :P I sometimes use a headband, but it usually just slips off.
I think I just tell myself to “keep going” or “don’t quit”. It’s not always easy to listen though–especially when you’re dying!
Mac
One foot in front of the other is my mantra when I go running… it’s the baby steps approach to running :)
Kayla
I have super short hair so I just pin back the front with super cute pretty colored bobbypins and I sweat a ton, so by the time I’m finished doing something like that, it looks like I’ve just taken a shower, so I just towel dry it with the gym towel. (I’m sure everyone who uses the towels after me really appreciates that peice of info.)
Hannah
I say “breathe easy” during hard workouts and “you don’t have to go fast, but you do have to go” during long runs…haha this mantra cycles around in my head over and over again and generally overpowers the voice claiming fatigue
natalie @ southern fit foodie
I use the tough love approach when talking to myself during workouts. It’s usually “suck it up and do it!” or “come on, Nat, get with it – you got this” but every now and then I’ll go with things like “you are incredibly strong, what’s twenty more pushups (or three more miles)?” In my Insanity workouts, I almost always say “you did it before, you can do it again” because everything is in intervals. :)
Hair – I have super thin hair and my head is about the size of a 6 year old’s, so headbands typically do not fit me at all. I want a BIC band – I am convinced the white sparkly one would fit me haha. I usually just pull it to a ponytail and sometimes pin my bangs back, but usually they are so sweaty they stay back on their own (gross, I know).
Tabaitha
I tell myself that if I can give birth and endure several long hours of labor then I can finish this. It also gives me the motivation to get my pre-pregnancy body. I plan on reminding myself of these things shortly after this pregnancy.
My hair is a hot mess during workouts, sweat and all.
Leslie
TOTALLY stolen from Jillian but I swear if you say it in your head like Jillian’s in there IT WORKS:
“Be COMFORTABLE with being UNCOMFORTABLE!”
During the 90 degree 5k we did that was all hills, girl, it was UNCOMFORTABLE to the max, but I think I’m sort of getting used to it! In my opinion, if you’re comfortable when you’re working it out, you’re not working it out hard enough :)
Courtney @ girlinthepink
Lululemon head bands are a must during sweaty workout – they don’t fall off! I’ve never understood the people who workout with their hair down, total insanity IMO :)
Leanne (Bride to Mrs.)
Oh my gosh… I always sport the “sumo bun” while working out. I have longer hair and even the tinyest amount touching me drives me mental while working out!
I love your blog. I’m so happy I found it <3
Sam
Seriously sometimes the stuff that pops into my head when I’m trying to plow through a tough part of a workout is SO WEIRD.
Once during a run, I just kept repeating in my head: “Sweat, is wet, no doubt-about-that,” in this little sing-songy tempo. Like, wtf? Where did that come from? Embarrassing.