running is my time to clear my head.That doesn't mean that I'm not thinking while I am out on my runs. In fact, running sans music means that I am typically thinking clearly more than any other time in day. It would be rather easy for me to simply let my thoughts flow, but I know the outcome would be a poor running. So when I run I have to think about running.
No, I don't think about moving, breathing or any of the other things that making up the running motion, rather I have to think about my motivation for running. And so I have a mantra. It changes from time to time, but for every training phase I have gone through I have had a mantra.
For my first marathon it was: "Just get through this."
For the hilly, Music City Half it was: "Hills for Breakfast, Mountains for Dinner."
Now, I all of my workouts (strength training, running, cross-training, even waking up) begin with: "Only I can defeat the Voice."
The Voice is that part of me that wants to sleep in, take it easy, not push the pace. The Voice is the part of me that wants to give up and declare my goals to be unobtainable. The Voice wants me to be a loser. The Voice affects other areas of my life as well, so everything is a battle. But each time I hit my goals it like I am telling the Voice to "shut up."
I realize my mantra may not be for everyone, and you may not want people thinking that you are hearing voices in your head. However, it connects with me.
What mantra has connected with you?
Here are some other favorites:
Relax and Flow
You're a runner, this is what you do.
Pain is temporary. Quit is forever.
Harder, Faster, Better, Stronger.
Tenacity. Ferocity. velocity
Here are a couple of forums on running mantras:
Posts
3 comments:
Mine is pretty simple: Life Keeps On Running. It reminds me that running is part of life and that no matter what happens, we have to keep moving.
Thanks for the plug on my giveaway!
Thanks for your comment on my site JD. I usually don't use mantras WHEN I run but think about them before I run, or the night before a run. I like your "Defeat the Voice". One that I recently came across from a song is.
For ever can be, something to believe in, this is one of those times
For ever can be, something to bleed for, And this is one of those times
That's a great one, it's easy to get it stuck in your head (another great secret to finding a good mantra).
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