Positive Thoughts and Mental Fortitude
I often get asked how I get through long runs. I get most people don’t really care for running but this question always catches me off guard. So I looked inward and took note of what I do to get through all the crazy workouts I put myself through.
Positive Vibes
The mind is a crazy thing. You can tell yourself something and make yourself before its true, even if it isn’t. Don’t listen to yourself, talk to yourself. When I first started running, I would look at others and tell myself that I could NEVER do that. I was already talking down to myself.
When my runs began to get longer, I quickly learned that negative talk was getting me nowhere. I had a pit in my stomach the moment I was lacing up my sneakers. I began to dread the one thing I used to look forward to. Taking a step back and telling myself that I WAS going to have a good run and enjoy myself.
Positive talk was helpful during my runs. Whenever I would start getting tired, I would tell myself that my body can go one more mile. My legs will carry me home, one way or another. Even though sometimes running was hard and it didn’t feel great, changing my attitude and my self talk really changed my perspective.
Visualize The Smaller Picture
This mostly relates to running but it can apply to most other workouts. Instead of seeing a long run, I would break it up into smaller pieces so it’s not as daunting. For example, I would break up a ten mile run into 5 two mile runs. Just by doing so, I’m not as scared too tackle it. I give all I can for those two miles and then do two more.
This can be something you can use every day. Some days I get very busy at work and it’s very easy to get overwhelmed. I start to feel rushed and my work performance begins to suffer. I break out my day into hours and do what I can each hour. Then, I focus and do my best that hour. Repeating this process helps me stay productive and keeps my stress level down.
Think Of Your Why
My mom and her pup, Duke!
This can be really trivial or can be the most important part. There’s a reason why you do what you do. Whether that’s God, your spouse, or your children, it’s there.
Some days, I get so overwhelmed during my run. Nothing is going right and I just want to quit. Then I think of my mom. She’s such a strong woman who never backed down when faced with adversity. I begin to picture what she would do in my situation and how proud of me she would be for finishing.
During my marathon, I prayed for a different person at each mile. It made the time pass but it lit a fire inside me because I’m blessed to be surrounded by so many AWESOME women. They are all inspirational in each way and I use that to push forward. Everyone has bad days and bad workouts but thinking about why I do it gives me the extra push I need.
