Running. The mental game.

Over 3 years ago, we went to visit my brother in Ohio. He showed us all around town and on the agenda was a 5k race in Pittsburgh. It was the Steelers 5k. My husband Brian decided about a week before the race that he should start training. I had a 4 month old baby and had been walking and jogging for a couple of months. I remember running with him there in Cincinnati. I did the walk/jog combo, while he ran circles around me (quite literally). I scratched my head and could not for the life of me figure out how he could just keep going. Even when it go hard. I would jog and as soon as I was uncomfortable I would stop. Come race day Brian ran the 5k in 25 minutes. I had a few minutes on my time than that and I was crushed with my performance. I promised myself I would never let myself feel that kind of disappointment again.

Fast forward 6 months. My new trainer Amanda took me outside to run (this was after I vocalized my desire to be a runner). We set out. I was right behind her, starring at her super fit, tight rear end the whole time. The entire quarter mile. Thats right. I could only run a quarter mile before I had to stop. Second time around, same thing. Third time, Amanda told be under no circumstances was I allowed to stop at this same point. I saw that spot coming up, I had to stop, I couldnt run another step, I was dying, I couldnt breathe. Amanda all the while was speaking encouraging words. You are strong, you can do this, yadda yadda yadda. Before I knew it I was passing this spot, and kept going. What the heck? Did I really?

I look back at these two moments all the time. Mostly when the run is hard and I think I cannot go any further. I remember how monumental it was when I discovered, it was all a mental game. I think about how hard the first quarter mile was. Then it was the first mile...and then the first 3 miles and so on. How amazing was the feeling when I pushed past the limit I had mentally placed for myself. How often are we placing limits on what we can do? All the time! The infamous General Patton said, "If you are going to win any battle, you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do...the body is never tired if the mind is not tired".

Running is not the easiest sport, but it is one that anyone can do. If they want to. I give myself pep talks all the time while running. The body will inevitably feel tired at some point, but you have to push thru it. When you feel like it is getting difficult, and you are too tired to go on, tell your body the SHUT UP! You are physically capable of going the distance you set out to do!oWhen people tell me they want to start running, I tell them how successful they will be, if they want it. Because really, I am living proof. If you want to run, you can run. The operative word being "want". When I was running that first quarter mile, I never imagined I would have run a 10k, a half marathon, or even a Ragnar race. But everyone starts somewhere. Where will your somewhere be? And where will you let your feet take you?v

e to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do... the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."