Some runs are harder than others. It always feel great to finish a run that has been a battle from before the first step. I had such a run over the weekend. My clock was set for an early (before 6 AM) run. I woke up, but could not will myself out of bed. I decided to wait and run later in the afternoon with my older brother. I sent him a text telling him of my plans. He texted back about 30 minutes later saying he was just finishing his run. Yay!!! good for him, but that wrecked my co-dependent running plans for the day. What to do now? It was to be a tough 3.7 mile afternoon run. About mile 2 is when the "why am I doing this?" started to creep into my head. The thoughts of "I didn't want to do this today, it sure is hot out here, my legs are hurting, my breathing is not right, I should probably walk some" are mounting when the head fights back with "motivate the mind, one step at a time, motivate the mind, just one foot in front of the other, motivate the mind.....
Yes, motivate the mind; the body will follow is a favorite mantra of mine. But how do you motivate the mind run after run? On this particular day from the word "jump" it was going to be a difficult run. I woke up with the wrong mind set. At the mile 2 mark when I asked myself, "why am I doing this?" I thought back to the beginning. My first memory of wanting to run was after hearing an essay read aloud in my high school English class. Our teacher was a runner, and she demonstrated to us how to write a descriptive essay by writing about why she loved to run. I remember having this feeling of wanting to do something I had never desired to do before.....run. The essay was quiet compelling. It made her love for running contagious. So I think about how I felt hearing her words when I want to quit. I also think about when I first started running years ago. I took a walk/jog/run class in college. I signed up with a friend, and we were going to be walkers for an easy, effortless A. My big brother had the same class at a different time that semester. He ratted me out to our instructor by telling her I ran with him sometimes. Armed with this new information, she informed me that I was a runner or at least a combo for her class. I think about her believing I could be a runner. I also think about running with my brother during that time. He had played collegiate ball, and he was in shape. We would start out together, but in no time he would pull away, and I would be chasing him. We would run from our house across the creek and down in front of the ruins of an old plantation home. To the day, as I chase him, I am reminded that he is jedi master of the mind game. There is no one more mentally strong during a run. When we run together now he beats me because I succumb to the mental struggle. He will say to me "you got to be tough."
The almost 4 mile afternoon run was tough, but I proved to be tougher by motivating my mind and changing my focus. After dreading it all day I got out there and ran it by myself. But was I really out there all alone? No. This run proved to be like all the others. You are always running with who or what inspired you.
Yes, motivate the mind; the body will follow is a favorite mantra of mine. But how do you motivate the mind run after run? On this particular day from the word "jump" it was going to be a difficult run. I woke up with the wrong mind set. At the mile 2 mark when I asked myself, "why am I doing this?" I thought back to the beginning. My first memory of wanting to run was after hearing an essay read aloud in my high school English class. Our teacher was a runner, and she demonstrated to us how to write a descriptive essay by writing about why she loved to run. I remember having this feeling of wanting to do something I had never desired to do before.....run. The essay was quiet compelling. It made her love for running contagious. So I think about how I felt hearing her words when I want to quit. I also think about when I first started running years ago. I took a walk/jog/run class in college. I signed up with a friend, and we were going to be walkers for an easy, effortless A. My big brother had the same class at a different time that semester. He ratted me out to our instructor by telling her I ran with him sometimes. Armed with this new information, she informed me that I was a runner or at least a combo for her class. I think about her believing I could be a runner. I also think about running with my brother during that time. He had played collegiate ball, and he was in shape. We would start out together, but in no time he would pull away, and I would be chasing him. We would run from our house across the creek and down in front of the ruins of an old plantation home. To the day, as I chase him, I am reminded that he is jedi master of the mind game. There is no one more mentally strong during a run. When we run together now he beats me because I succumb to the mental struggle. He will say to me "you got to be tough."
The almost 4 mile afternoon run was tough, but I proved to be tougher by motivating my mind and changing my focus. After dreading it all day I got out there and ran it by myself. But was I really out there all alone? No. This run proved to be like all the others. You are always running with who or what inspired you.
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