I'm a plodder when it comes to running. 54 years old, in good health/shape, haven't run anything longer than a 10K and don't want to. I like running because it's cheap cardio that's accessible anywhere, any time. I respect the heck out of those who do it well and those that laced up their running shoes for the first time ever.
All that being said, I struggle way more than I should to keep running even on my "long" runs of 3 miles. 1, 1.5, miles in and I'm ready to start walking when, just a day or two before, I felt great finishing 3 miles and probably could've done more. I've tried counting steps, listening to music, changing venues, pep talks, you name it. There are no issues physically in that my legs are fine, breathing's good, no aches/pains. Just stop running sometimes and it's very frustrating.
Any ideas on how to avoid this? A lot of it is negative self-talk ("This sucks, it's taking too long, you always end up walking so just go ahead and do it, etc.") but to say I'm stuck in a rut is an understatement. Just want to be able to (1) complete runs more regularly and (2) start enjoying the runs more. Appreciate any advice/thoughts you all may have to share.