Mind Games

This morning kicked off my first day of running (my work week starts on Tuesdays and ends on Saturdays). Now, that I’ve had so much interest in my blog, I know I am not only being held accountable to myself, but to you too! I jumped out of bed and flipped on my light. I began with a few light stretches while in my pj’s and got my running pants on. I’ve found it much easier to bundle up and head outdoors. At least when I run outdoors I start my day with natural light and nature and I am running to something instead of in place on a treadmill. I hate treadmills because I feel like I’m never getting anywhere, kind of how I feel in my life, so I make it a point to run outside no matter what the conditions are.

I am training for the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon in May. I’ve been following the training schedule, but have slacked off from all the snow we’ve been getting. Tuesdays the schedule requires me to run for 30 minutes: Thirty minutes or three laps around my subdivision or 3 miles. The first lap is a warm-up. It’s cold and my body is just waking up, but usually the music from my iPod starts to pump me up and get me ready. Lap 2 my mind begins to become more conscious. My legs get warm, my body gets warm, and my mind starts to just wander from subject to subject without any conclusion or defiance. In the middle of this lap I stop for a few seconds to stretch my legs and arms and then continue until I have ended the lap.

I’m sure it’s all in my head because whatever goal I originally set for myself the last leg of it is always the hardest. Whether I decide to run 3 or 6 miles the 2nd or 5th mile is always the worst. This is when I have to start a mind game. At the beginning of my last lap I pause, clap and say “let’s go” outloud . Dorky, I know. I imagine I’m running a race and I have to run the last lap hard and strong. This usually works for a couple minutes and then I begin to struggle again. I read somewhere that people who smile endure more, so I started to smile. At first I fake it, obviously, but then I really do smile because if people only saw me out there running with this huge grin on my face how funny I would look?! From then on happy thoughts just start flowing and I think about what I’m grateful for in my life. I take in everything around me the birds, trees, houses, and even the snow. Before I know it I’m finished with the lap and I begin my day with gratitude, a smile, and a positive attitude.