Last week, I was watching the Conan O'Brien show on TBS (as I do regularly). Every once in a while he does a bit where he pretends to cry over something and as the tear rolls down his cheek, he drinks it and flexes his muscles and says, "I drank the tear and it made me strong."
The past week has been a tough week of running... with daytime temps in 90s with lots of humidity. These phrases (and others) are some of the things that I think to myself... and sometimes say to myself... and sometimes say out-loud to myself as I'm running.
And that's okay. It's okay to talk to yourself... encourage yourself audibly while running. We all do it.
I'm a music-listening-runner. I listen to music on every run... even if I'm running with my wife (I have one ear bud in and one out (so I can hear her)). Part of the reason why I do that is the positive, inspiring and challenging messages that I find in the songs.
Take this morning for instance. I headed out for my first tempo run of this training cycle (I have a tempo run scheduled for every third week... hill sprints... then tempo runs... then track workouts (mostly Yasso 800's).) The tempo run expected a 1 mile warm up... then about 10-12 minutes of flat out 10k speed... then about 10 minute cool down. As I rounded the corner onto a straight stretch that was slightly downhill, I began to pick up the pace to start the tempo part. As I did, I hit skip on my iPod. The next song to come up was "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins. Anyone who is a child of the 80's knows the power of this song. Chills started in the back of my neck and went all the day down to my feet and the pace picked up.
It's great to encourage yourself as you're running. Find a phrase or multiple phrases that work(s) for you. Repeat it to yourself. Say it out loud. Find some music that pumps you up and let it carry you. In the same way that the crowds cheering and chanting at a marathon, 1/2 marathon or 5k encourage you, you can encourage yourself with some phrases that challenge you to dig deep and keeping moving!
Keep running friends!
Jim
Disclaimer (if you're into that sort of thing): Jim is not a professional runner nor is this blog endorsed by any company. These thoughts are merely the thoughts and experiences on one runner. What works and what doesn't work from a practical level. Jim hasn't set any records, but he's run a few races (Marathon: 4h 22m / Half-Marathon: 2h 3m / 5k: 22m 57s) and he's been around the block!
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