Running a hard workout or race takes a LOT of lying to yourself.
“I SWEAR it’s the last repeat!”
“Just make it ONE more mile…”
“I promise it won’t hurt THAT much.”
Hey, if it takes a little self-deception to push through to the end, then so be it, right?!
My latest Runner’s Strip Movie Short: “A Runner’s Mid-Workout Mental Twitter”
[Here is the embedded version to give you a preview but it’s tough to read…click link BELOW to view larger.]
Twitter Movie
Here’s to all those lies that get us through the runs, workouts, and races!!
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Posts on MENTAL TOUGHNESS
Posts on RACE TIPS
More Runner’s Strip!
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1) Share a bit of mental Twitter Chatter you might have mid-workout.
2) Do you share about your running on social media sites? Which ones?
3) Best trick that you use to stay mentally tough?
Month: November 2013
3 Things Every Runner Needs to Be Told, and Then Re-Told (Repeatedly)
Not that us distance runners are necessarily forgetful, but there are some thing we tend to lose sight going about our routines. Hopefully it’s not showering altogether…but totally no judgement if you’re still sitting in this morning’s runner clothes. 😉
So just in case your distance runner logic is a tad skewed and you need someone else to remind you of these things…
1) “That’ll do, Pig.”
Sorry I could NOT resist the Babe reference, every time I hear ‘that’ll do’ my mind finishes it with Pig. For all those who don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m not calling you guys pigs, I really mean “That’ll do, Runner.” Distance runners are NOTORIOUSLY the hardest on themselves, it’s that kind of type-A personality trait that can push us to be the best or be our own worst enemy.
Every now and again a runner needs to hear that they did a good job. That they HAVE worked hard enough, that they ARE mentally tough enough. All of that. Here is one reason why I always recommend runners have a [GOOD!] coach, to get that outside perspective. After a crummy race, rather than instantly jumping to, “Dang, I SUCKED! I must have been a mental weenie today…ugh.” Just stop it and be productive, “Okay, that was rough. Did I give it my all? Can I learn anything from this to do better next time? Take those answers and do with them what you will. But treat your runnerself with some kindness, mmmmk?
2) “This injury WILL end.”
In the midst of an injury it’s way too easy to jump straight to cataclysmic-mode, “I’m going to be injured FOREVER!!! FFFOOOORRREEEEVER!!!” [How many movie references can I sneak in here, right?] It can be hard to even imagine a day where you won’t be in pain. But…
…every injury WILL eventually get better. It will take time, but it will heal. So stay productive and do your cross-training but ALSO look into the source of your injury. Most often they come about because of a muscle imbalance, weakness, or compensation issue; the actual injury is merely a symptom of that. Correct the source during that time so you don’t have to wind up with the same injury again and again.
3) “You love to run.”
Bam…way to many people wind up burned out just because they have sucked the love and joy out of their running. Don’t worry, that passion can come back, but if you find yourself dreading your runs, what the heck is the point of that?! Even professional distance runners preserve their passion for running.
Running is way too ‘punishing’ a sport to force down anyone’s throat. If you’re not having fun with it, ask yourself why you’re doing it? Get the joy back in your running, and here’s my post on THAT. [Being burned out is different than those ‘meh’ days when your motivation is in a lull…tips for beating that HERE.]
BONUS!! Look at me, I’m just so giving. 😉 4) Consistency trumps all.
There really is no secret to success or getting better at running. It comes from being consistent. Yes, speed workouts will make you faster, but there is no magic bullet…running hinges on consistently putting in the work. You gotta want it, right?!
1) Can you name my second movie reference?
2) What’s something you feel every runner needs to be told, and re-told again and again?
3) How do you preserve the passion with your running?
Runner’s Strip Movie Shorts: Episode 2: ‘Runner’s Right of Way’
Every runner has been there. They’re just running along, not taking up too much space on the sidewalk, when BAM…they meet the sidewalk hog!!! Walkers going five wide, a dog-owner with about 200 feet of leash slack, packs of people paying no attention to the fact that you, a runner, are in fact trying to pass through.
I hope you enjoy my latest Runner’s Strip Cartoon Movie Short:
May all your running paths be unimpeded…but if not…
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In case you missed my FIRST Runner’s Strip Cartoon Moving Short, you can find it HERE.
Got a race coming up? Race tips HERE.
Stuck in a ‘meh’ mood? Get a kick in the running motivation pants HERE.
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1) Do you try to say something if you’re coming up on people from behind?
I try the loud cough first.
2) Ever been full on tripped by some sidewalk hogs?
3) When the tables are turned, if you’re walking your dog or something are you mindful of other runners?
Yuppers. 🙂
My First Running Cartoon Episode 1: “The Morning Run”
I’m aiming to corner the market for running Saturday morning cartoons. Well, not quite. But I DO have my first actual animation for you guys. This goes out to all those crazy, up-before-the-rest-of-the-world morning runners. Hey, gotta do what we gotta do!
1) What time do you usually run?
2) What’s the earliest you’ve gotten up to get your run on?
I’m a Runner. Suck it, Stafko.
I’m a runner, not a one-woman ‘selfie’ parade. If you haven’t read a recent opinion piece by Chad Stafko on the WSJ, prepare to want to hunt the guy down and offer him a swift kick in the groin. Most likely he’ll be easy to find: his house will be the one with a mob of irate runners, he’ll already be on the ground amidst a flurry of kicks to the groin. Can’t miss him.
Mario Fraioli, senior editor at Competitor, did a nice reply to Mr. Stafko’s tribute to slothdom. Fraioli pretty much covered it but, being that I’m never short on words myself, I have a few things to add.
While my own POS car does not have a 26.2, 13.1, or even 3.1 bumper sticker on it, every time I see one out driving I instantly feel a connection to the driver of that vehicle. “You’re a runner, cool! Certainly, I’ll let you slide right over into my lane in front of me.”
When my Facebook or Twitter feeds are blowing up with pictures or reports from fellow runners after their amazing workouts or scenic runs I don’t hold it against them. I don’t begrudgingly think they are just egomaniacs…they’re merely riding an endorphin high. They’re just trying to share a bit of a contact high with their social media minions. There aren’t selfies; rather, these tributes to their runs are a few things: motivation, inspiration, proof that hard work and dedication pay off, and further evidence that running breeds a happier, more driven, productive individual. But heck, even if a runner IS to outright ‘brag’ about a PR they should…PR’s are fan-freaking-tastic! [side-note, there IS a huge difference between true running shoes and discount bin knock-offs]
I do find it a little funny that he pegs running as the satan of all sports. Where is Rodney Dangerfield? “I get no respect!” Bumper stickers and license plate rims with football or basketball teams are completely acceptable. Hey, I’d like to point out that the ‘My son is an honor roll student at Shiny Rainbows Pre-School’ bumperstickers are more laughably annoying, am I wrong?
In the end, he’s just not a runner and can’t ‘get it’. He certainly could, if he takes Fraioli up on his most generous offer, but he won’t. He doesn’t want to. That’s too bad, because really he’s the one missing out. Rather than a self-absorbed parade of one, he’d wind up a little less angry and lot more motivated to discover just HOW MUCH he can accomplish. “How fast can I get?” “How far can I run?” “How much better am I truly, when I ignore the self-imposed limits my mind puts on me?”
I run because it keeps me sane. We all run for our own reasons and, to be honest, at this point I just don’t know another way. I also don’t plan on figuring out another way either…I mean, I like my running as is.
1) Do you have any bumper stickers on your car?
2) Do you share about your runs on social media sites?
3) Why do you run?
Two Whole Running Legs: Gratitude and kicking motivation lulls in the @$$
Far too often we take things for granted. You wake up feeling ‘meh’, the run for the day not looking like the most appealing option. I mean running was there for you yesterday, in today’s motivation lull you assume you can blow it off today and running will still be waiting for you tomorrow.
It happens with everything, the random lamp in the house that’s just always been there. You don’t even notice it anymore. It just blends right in, ignored, the act of flipping the switch an unconscious act. You don’t even REALLY care about the lamp, say, until the power goes out. You flip the switch and suddenly think, “WTF?!?!” Taken for granted.
Another ‘WTF’ moment, right? 😉
Never treat your running like a stupid, random lamp. I was having my own ‘meh’ moment not too long ago. I was about 1 minute into my run, forced myself to at least that point, but the endorphins had yet to really kick in, you know? Then I passed a house where a man in a wheelchair was working to get himself into a car. He didn’t have legs from the knee-down.
BAM…it hit me, I was too lucky to be feeling ‘meh’ about my running. I was so freaking lucky I COULD use my two legs in such a way. On my way back home I ran past the man’s house; he wasn’t there, but his car was. I could see the wheelchair lift rack in the back. Now every time I run past that black van I say a thanks to my two, whole legs. I remember to be grateful I am able to use them in suck a way and run.
Don’t feel guilty about your own ‘meh’ moments. Runnerchicks and runnerdudes, we ALL get them. Feeling complacent versus lovey-dovey and excited towards your runs go in spikes and drops. Talk to the runner who just came off of a 3 month injury and they’ll pledge to NEVER take their running for granted ever again. Find them 6 months later, a full stretch sans injuries, and certainly their ‘meh’ days are back.
I was lucky to get my reminder to kick that ‘meh’ feeling in the butt from an indirect source rather than having an injury of my own force me into missing my running fix. That’s not always the case…if you’re not injured right now and able to run, you’re lucky.
Runners, let’s take a moment to collectively celebrate what we do. Be grateful for this insane addiction to running and that we have the option to lace up and head out. I speak to all, those injured too, because those moments are some of the toughest, most crushing, and heart-breaking. If you’re not a runner that sounds way overly-dramatic, but all runners ‘get’ how hard injuries are on the psyche.
Unitedly, we’re sending positive vibes and supportive thoughts to YOU, the injured runner populous. We also send the message of: “Hang on, you’ll get back there. Take it one day at a time, do your rehab, and as sick as it sounds be grateful for your cross-training. It will get you back to running and still offers an, albeit much weaker, endorphin fix. Just hang on.”
So, Runners, if you are feeling ‘meh’ right now cut the crap: lace up, head out, and pick a moment to smile on your run. [if it’s a hard workout it’s okay if the smile looks like a twisted, ugly, grimace…then do a real smile after the end of those intervals. ;)]
1) When was your last injury?
2) When was your last ‘meh’ moment?
3) What happened; if you blew off your run what did you do instead? If you did run what mental motivation trick did you do to get out the door?
Runner Legs Are Complainers: 5 important ’tissues’ to avoid a total toddler-level tantrum
“If you’ve got an issue, here’s a tissue.” Certainly that fits with the ‘runner mentality’ for many things. Intervals hurt, well, they’re going to hurt until we finish all the repeats.
Long runs are…long. Yup, that’s how it goes. Just keep telling yourself to make it one more mile, one more mile, etc…until your done!
Then the legs start having their issues. They’ll start begging for their own tissues. The way to stave off some total toddler-level tantrums from the legs are to supply them their tissues on a consistent basis BEFORE their demands are too high.
Runner bones are just, well, better bones. 😉
* Tissue 1: Warming the heck up. Don’t go into a workout with ‘cold’ legs. Don’t immediately blast like a bat out of he**, your legs like a little warning. “We’re going to workout now”…gradually lower into the pace and you’ll feel better, wind up running faster, and avoid the lactic acid booty-lock shuffle home.
* Tissue 2: Stretching. Yea, stretching is NEVER as much fun as running but if you want to run better you need to be loose. You’ve got to have the flexibility to open up your stride, you want as much range of motion as possible. So suck it up, get your stretching and yoga time in, your legs will thank you with faster times AND less injuries.
* Tissue 3: Massage. Look, I’ll be honest and say I’m as not-rich as the next person, so I self-massage regularly but I’m ALSO re-learning how imperative it is to see a professional massage therapist when I can. Running is pretty abusive on the body and to un-do some of that damage you need that massage work. Look at it as an investment in YOURSELF. Namely your sanity (my sanity hinges upon my endorphin fix) because the longer you run the more important it is to get that tissue work. Well, that is if you’d like to keep running for the rest of your life. [Side-note, I’ll be doing another post on this later but my massage therapist of choice is Al Kupczak in Boulder, CO…Boulder Body Therapy. He’s a massage GOD. Works on Olympians and us mortal runners alike.]
* Tissue 4: Proper pacing. I guess this more fittingly could be said as separating your easy and hard days. Run your easy days EASY. Scr*w the pace and run for effort, whatever effort that allows you to recover. Then, come your hard days you’ll have the bounce to go fast. Also recognize the difference between a workout and a race. Come race day you want to elevate to that next level, that’s tough to do if you’re redlining ever.single.hard.workout. Got it? Well, race day is also boosted by the mental energy and excitement, but still, don’t race all of your workouts, People, mmmmk?
* Tissue 5: Refuel. Said it zillions of times…hit that 30 minute post-workout recovery window. Get 20-25 grams of protein and some carbs into your system to jumpstart muscle recovery, repair, and regrowth. That way your legs will come back feeling better and stronger for your next run, your next workout, your next race.
The body of a runner is constantly crying and complaining. What a pain the butt, right? 😉 Thankfully we’re mentally tough BUT we’ve also got to be smart enough to give our complaining legs and muscles their pre-emptive tissues to at least limit their tantrums.
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Running ‘tough’ is a yin-yang sort of thing, my last post is all about how being ‘tough’ isn’t always about running through the pain or pushing. Being smart and all that.
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1) Do you have a tissue to add?
2) How often do you see a professional massage therapist?
GO VISIT AL! 😉
3) How good are you at hitting the 30 minute refuel window?