Posts in the Motivation Category at , Page 17

The Dual Personalities of Runners: Switching from ‘life’ mode to ‘race’ mode

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Cait — 20 Comments ↓

Runners have a kind of dual personality thing going on, which is really quite interesting. Not the doctors in white coats and clipboards kind of multiple personalities, but rather, a stark difference between ‘life’ and ‘training/racing mode’ personalities.

The ‘life’ side of runners is typically one of being slightly awkward, but in a lovable way. That thing about smiling at strangers, I think runners are typically more apt to have a smile quick at hand. Maybe it’s the fast-twitch muscle response that just carries over into our cheek muscles.

It kind of throws people a bit, especially these days when more and more people seem to be kind of ‘hard’ or harsh. I’ve found that runners, be it by choice or perhaps a bit of childlike naiveté, tend to give people the benefit of the doubt and will go out of their way to help others. Sometimes it bites us in the bums, but at the same time I’d like to think we, and those around us, are better for it overall.

I used to have a friend who said she could tell someone was a runner by the way they walked, an extra kind of bounce in their stride. Runners tend to walk faster than ‘normal people’ too, sort of like walking with purpose; or probably more correctly we get bored of walking because it’s just too darn slow and getting places takes forever.

Runners do tend to vary in that some are incredibly shy and not overflowing with words until you know them while others, ahem like me, probably make up for those lost words and then some. I love the sense of humor of runners; quirky could be an understatement, we relish in poop jokes, chaffage stories, making fun of ‘normals’ who partake in ridiculous behavior…ummm, jogging in jeans?! Runners can be snarky, sarcastic, and you have to be in order to get through the times when the miles are just downright painful.

That last part ties into the other side of runners. The training and racing personality, we’ll call it the ‘go time’ mentality. Here is where a runner can become stoic, intimidating, closed off from everything else. Hyping oneself up to last through lactic acid onslaught, to mentally push their body past its comfort level; so far past comfort the body screams it is in agony.

To do that, to withstand the he** that is running on legs coursing with actual poisons eating at the muscles, making them want to stop, you HAVE to be hard. There has to be a part of your brain that is able to shut out ‘sanity’ and run towards insanity.

Runners are competitive; we thrive around those around us who are BETTER than us, who can help push ourselves past our perceived limits. Your competition is there to help you but you also want to beat them, no? When that gun goes off, runners are adept at stuffing down the ‘life’ side of themselves and slipping fully into the races. For when the gun does go off, your performance ultimately is up to you, and while there can be a team aspect, running is highly personal in that regard.

This is not cold, nor calloused; it is the truth. The best runners are able to shut out personal feelings between the start and finish line and realize it is NOT a personal slight to want to beat a friend, a training partner even, or Joe the Bag Boy. Going one step further, the best runners can then snap right BACK into ‘life’ mode the second the finish line is crossed and congratulate those around them regardless of placing.

Personally speaking, my best and favorite races are the ones where you warm-up with your friends and training partners, grind each other to be your best in the race, then cool-down together. It’s the melding of the two runner personalities.

We are people; but we are not ‘normals’. We are better, because we are runners. [Wow, does that sound elitist?! Bwahaha!]

1) What’s a common ‘life’ side of runners personality trait?

2) Do you tend to be able to shift to a more competitive side of yourself when in hard workout and race mode?

3) What is your stance on racing friends and teammates, do you agree that it’s nothing personal if you are both out to beat each other?

4) So I’m not the only runner elitist around here…lol…name one reason runners might be a little cooler than ‘normals’. And I DO have non-running friends that I think are awesome, so please, no hate mail…mmmk.

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The Race Isn’t Over Until YOU Say It’s Over: How to decisively pass your competitors and come back from being passed

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Cait — 16 Comments ↓

The race isn’t over until the finish line is crossed. Okay, while that sounds like it merits a, “No sh*t, Sherlock,” snarkism…hold off for just a tick and read where I’m going with this. However long the race is you’ve signed up for, there is always time to make a move on your competitor. Don’t give up until you have, in fact, crossed the finish line.

Racing, as with running, isn’t just a test of who is physically superior. It is also a test of who has the mental capacities to FORCE their body to its limits. There is also a test of who is a ‘smarter’ racer, who can put up a poker face the best or who can tell when their competitor is just bluffing. Then you put the hammer down at the moment when your competitor is at their weakest and hopefully crush them mentally. Force them to give up.

How do you crush your competitor mentally? Decisive moves. What’s that mean? It means when you pass them, you don’t just pass them, you blow by them. You gather yourself right before you pass, drop your shoulders, look at relaxed as possible, breath as evenly as possible, hide how tired you are and surge. Run hard and fast straight past them and keep up the pace to immediately put distance on them. PROVE how strong you are feeling, SHOW them you are obviously feeling stronger than they could possible be, and FORCE them to give up right there. DO NOT, ever, look over your shoulder or give them a shadow of hope that they might be able to keep pace with you. Sounds mean, well, racing can be mean. It’s a test of who can get to the finish line the fastest.

The reason you want to surge and instantly put distance on them is because if you weakly pass someone, if they are smart they will just tuck right in behind you. As we know from racing and running, it’s FAR easier to let someone else do the pacing work and just pull you along. If you weakly pass someone you’re potentially just doing them a favor. If they are smart, they will gather their own reserves while you lead and decisively pass you and try to drop you. See why it’s all about decisive passing?

Now, on the flip side, here is how you should handle getting decisively passed yourself. I wouldn’t leave you left hanging without some strategy for the other side of things, because we’ve always got to be prepared for anything.

When someone makes a move on YOU and passes, know that they probably planned this. This is their attempt to CRUSH your mentally. Get mad, do whatever you have to to get fired up and determined to stick with them. Don’t give in and be the person who gives up before the finish line is ever crossed. Like I opened with, unless you’re crossing the line there is still distance left. Stay FOCUSED.

FOCUS on their back. Burn a hole into their shirt with your eyes.
RELAX, shake your arms if you have to, control your breathing and do a form check.
DECIDE if you need to make up any lost distance to match their pace NOW or if there is still a long ways to go, hold off and gradually reel them in. Here is where you need to check in with yourself, see how you’re feeling, assess your pre-race game plan, and make a choice.
SURGE if it’s late in the race and you haven’t got time to reel them in. Make up the distance you can and make it your goal to be able to tuck right in behind them.
MOVE. Make a move of your own if you are able to get to them; and remember you want it to be DECISIVE. If they ‘spent’ themselves the first time they passed you, it might be easier to crush them mentally; they probably didn’t expect you to come back.

Back and Forth: Passing is a two-way street and you can get into a back and forth sort of game; which can be fun, infuriating and incredibly mentally taxing in addition to the physical. Here, just keep thinking, “It’s not over until I say it’s over,” and don’t let any of their passes crush you mentally. Far easier said than done, I know, but that’s just how running is. Sometimes you do wind up being the one who got passed and dropped. But each time that happens you get a little bit stronger, physically and mentally, and hopefully it ignites a fire in you to keep training. That way you’ll be the one doing the decisive passing and crushing your competitors.

The race isn’t over until you cross the finish line.
——–
In case you missed it, check out: ‘5 Ways to Make Sure Your Race Doesn’t Suck’

After all that passing, if you’re a runnerchick, be sure to get yourself my Get Chicking shirt! 😉
——–

1) How would you describe a DECISIVE pass versus just merely passing someone?

2) How do you handle getting passed and how do you stay mentally focused and not give up?

3) Do you have a good story of a back and forth passing situation? Do share!

4) Who raced this weekend?? Who ran?? 🙂

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5 Ways to Make Sure Your Race Doesn’t Suck

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Cait — 35 Comments ↓

Ah, the thrill of race day is what some runners live for. Take all that adrenaline and exited-nervousness and it’s a schmorgesborg of energy. With race day comes the (hopefully mostly) self-imposed pressure, expectations and hopes to run your best. You’ve got big goals you want to achieve and you hope that by the time you cross the finish line you’ve hit those. Here are 5 ways you can stack the odds in your favor to step away from the line satisfied.

1) Game Plan: You need to go into any race with a concrete idea of how you’re going to run and the goals you want to achieve. You don’t want to have to try and make decisions on the fly; in the middle of a race you don’t want to be wasting mental energy on wondering what to do. Plan how you’re going to run, the splits you want to hit, how you are going to react if someone surges or your competitors make a move. Go in knowing if YOU plan to make those moves and what you will do if someone covers them. With race plans you need a few because you don’t know what others may do; you don’t want to be surprised in the middle of a race and freeze-up. You also don’t want to mess up your entire race by poor pacing. When you’ve got your race plans it’s even better if you’re able to use mental visualization to ‘practice’ them.

2) Consider Conditions: If you’re running amidst a hurricane you should obviously be drafting off of people! Not funny, I know. But when you show up to a race you need to check the conditions and adjust your race plan if need be. If it’s really hot and humid you may have to chuck the times you had planned and race off of effort. If it’s really windy you may want to hold off on taking the lead until later so that you can tuck in and conserve energy. The race day weather and conditions don’t DEFINE the race and you can’t let less than ideal conditions be an excuse for you to still not put the effort in; it just means you may have to adjust your goals and plans.

That girl’s drafting! 😉

3) Use Your Competition: Don’t ever be afraid of your competitors, embrace them because they will force you to step up your own game and race your best. Always be looking for that person faster than you, key off of them, sit behind them, focus on their back and don’t let a gap develop. Pick people off; if that back you’re focusing on is slowing down or you feel better then blow by that sucker and move onto the next person in front of you…always keep looking for that next person.

4) Avoid Mind Mutiny: There are SO many sub-topics here, for the sake of brevity I’ll give pointers here and direct you to other posts. Getting stuck in no-man’s land in a race stinks, but there are ways to salvage the race; don’t let feeling like it’s just you on the course be an excuse to give up…hey, the clock is always there! The middle of a race is the hardest, don’t let your mind check-out here…this, 99% of the time, leads to your pace slacking. Keep applying the pressure and focus. Do NOT focus on, “dang, this really hurts.” Duh, running hurts…that’s a reality, you knew that going in. So stop the self-defeatist thoughts and focus on what you CAN control (form, breathing, stride count, etc.) as a means of distraction.

5) Not Your Day, So What: Does that sound heinously tough love-esque? Well so be it…but the truth is we ALL have races where the legs just don’t show up that day. If the gun goes off and you feel like you’re pulling bricks, don’t automatically throw in the towel and give up. You NEED those mentally grueling races and workouts because getting through them makes you mentally tougher; then the days when your legs SO show up, you’ll be able to apply that toughness and you’ll be running faster. Overcoming the crappy runs are a huge mental test; give up too often and you set up a really bat habit that is tough to break out of. So if it’s not your day, yes, you may need to adjust your goals and plan but STILL put in the effort. Also, you’d be amazed at how your race can be salvaged even with ‘dead’ legs; that and miraculously your legs could show up mid-race…it’s happened.

So there you go…five ways to make sure that race you’ve been running your butt off for doesn’t suck. Of course there are many more…but I guess you’ll just have to keep reading (and running) to get more. 😉

1) What’s one way you make sure your races don’t suck? Or a tip you’d like to share?

2) What has been a time you had to adjust your plans due to weather conditions?

3) When has been a time that your legs really didn’t show up that day; how did you react and still put in the effort? Or, if you gave up, what did you learn from that experience and try to make sure you did better next time?

Running Consistency: It’s a sum of all the miles between the PR’s

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Cait — 22 Comments ↓

With running, those shining races, performances worth remembering and runs where everything clicks are more just a representation of all the crappy runs, slog-fests, and uneventful miles before them. The highlights are always outnumbered by the runs done where no one else is watching, probably wouldn’t even know if you did them or not.

If you checked out my Facebook wall yesterday (and you should definitely ‘like’ me! hehe) you saw a sneak peek of a collage type of project I’m working on. It has various women, different eras and poses but it’s an example of a piece of art that can’t stand alone, it needs all the smaller pieces to work. Right now I’m not done and it’s still needing more artwork clips, just like in running. You’re constantly ‘adding’ to your project with every mile, every workout, each race and all the steps forward.

Running hinges on consistency probably more-so than anything else. Built into that is self-motivation and determination because it takes those two qualities to MAKE yourself consistent. After that is probably fortitude, or maybe more correctly the inability to stop, because the honest to goodness truth is that for the most part running hurts. There, said it, and even on those ‘easy’ runs you have to hurt to a degree because otherwise you’d just be jogging or racewalking, right?

Wow, what a pep-talk, right? But let me finish because I’m still explaining here and the point is that you can’t expect to feel like you’re running on rainbows most of the time; you have to expect and anticipate the fatigue and ‘meh’ days because they will be there. They make you a runner because runners get THROUGH those days and move onto the next workout, be it a slog-fest of one of those workouts where you feel everything clicking and you’re just ON.

Art: Cait Chock (early stuff!) lol

Your running is made up of each and every mile, it’s not just the glowing PR’s or the runs where you swear you saw a unicorn shi##ing rainbows and a leprechaun bathing in his gold. (Sorry, sort of an inside joke there…that’s my reference to where everything is ‘perfect’.) Now, there WILL be those days where you spy that unicorn, the runs where you feel like you’re outside watching yourself achieve something you didn’t know your legs were capable and you think, “Am I REALLY running this fast…by gosh, I AM!”

I also wanted to touch on the fact that you can’t let a single run define you. You can’t let a single really heinous race, workout or run get to you so much so that you DEFINE it as yourself or an indicator of your fitness. For these runs here is where it’s really helpful to remember that running is representative of the whole, and that crappy workouts come with the territory; you need them to build mental strength and also take them as learning opportunities. See if there is a REASON why you sucked so hard (sometimes there isn’t a reason either), try and learn, and then shower off and move forward.

Though, those unicorn runs only come BECAUSE of the regular old miles before them, and the miles that will come after them. Get through the slog-fests because they make it all worth it. And to be honest, us sick and twisted little glutton for punishment runners wouldn’t have it any other way.

I get back to the inability to stop…

1) What would you say is the ratio to slog-runs to ‘just regular feeling’ runs then to unicorn and rainbow runs?
I’d say most are just usual runs, the ‘real’ unicorn runs come maybe three or four times total?

2) How do you keep perspective after really bad races or workouts?
Remember the good ones I had, chances are they were right on the heels of your epic fail.

3) Name one of your unicorn and rainbow running experiences…go!

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I Spy a Runner

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Cait — 20 Comments ↓

Etched across your face are the words you choose to define yourself by.

Select them carefully, for while you can change them later, some are harder to rub off than others. Labels may be controversial, are they good, are they bad? Who gave them to you, are you just putting them on for show? Do they fit quite right? All that politically correct jazz.

Though RUNNER isn’t a label that I feel looks bad on anyone. Actually it makes them look better. Feel better. Be better.

I like this word, runner, and while I know I’m much more than just a runner, the word suits me just fine and I don’t mind keeping it around. What about you?

1) What are some words that describe yourself?
quirky, OCD, fast-talker, runner, sister, daughter, friend, sarcastic

2) Have those words changed over time to fit you better?

3) If you picked runner amongst your words, can you narrow it down just a little bit more? (ie: distance lover, need for speedster, anti-fartlek, all about the long run)
Miles Addict.

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Runner Bones

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Cait — 18 Comments ↓

When you’re a runner you know it in your bones.

Despite the times of injury, cross-training purgatory, and miles withdrawals, you know in your heart you are a runner.

When the track workouts and intervals gnaw at your fortitude, your stomach and your lactic acid riddled muscles, you know you are a runner. You curse it a little in your mind, your sick attachment to this thing that tests you in such painful ways.

The moments when you wish your long runs lasted forever, the miles ticked off more by feel than numbers, when time hangs and dawdles outside of hours and minutes. You know in your soul you are a runner.

Your friends, faceless companions racing alongside you, strangers you pass running on the street; this community, these are your people, you know you are a runner.

The times when the alarm clock goes off and you dread the first step, yes you actually dread it even though you don’t want to admit it, it happens. You still force foot into shoe and get moving, you are a runner after all and you know it. You also know the crummy runs are worth it too.

Because the moments, the ones that you can only catch if you’re lucky and you can’t really ever perfectly plan them. The ones when you feel like you’re not really running, but are outside yourself watching this body complete this incredibly magical yet totally simplistic action. These runs you wish you could catch in a bottle like fireflies and watch them forever…these are the times when you’re not just a runner but the run is shining through your bones.

You know you’re a runner more-so of how you feel, it’s a sense, and you know it in your bones.

1) When you’re injured or unable to run for whatever reason, you still know you’re a runner on the inside. What’s an example of feeling like a runner through the times you can’t actually run?

2) Even when you dread the workout or run, how do you motivate yourself to get the first step in?

3) How was your last long run? Was it one where the miles seemed to fly by, or craaaaawl by?

4) Who raced this weekend…brag on your fine selves! 🙂

A Runner Doth Compare: Keeping the comparison game in check

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Cait — 12 Comments ↓

When to cmopeare and when to not.
Running is quite the unique sport. Obviously it’s the BEST sport, but it’s different than most because it is highly personal. The end result rests solely on your shoulders…err, legs.

So while there are a pillars of support you can look to, the wisdom from others to learn from and guide you along, it’s ultimately going to come down to you taking the initiative and being motivated from within.

Ironically though, it’s generally outside elements that we can get hung up on as we gauge our running success. Are we faster than so-and-so, they ran this many miles and how many did I run, I see she was doing her repeats at this pace…and often times we make ourselves out to be the ‘loser’ regardless of the competition.

It’s very easy to get hung up on the negatives or what whe CAN’T do, our shortcomings. Generally we’re going to compare ourselves to the person we DIDN’T beat and decide we stink, rather than look to the person we did beat and feel like we’re making progress.

Running is personal, but human nature sucks us into comparing ourselves to the ones around us, and usually doing so in a way that it makes us only feel worse about ourselves.

It goes with training and workouts, but it also goes with how we look compared to our competition or what our diets are compared to theirs. Sometimes runners get easily distracted on the ‘details’ of a particular runner instead of what it really should come down to: results. Funneling that down even more, your PERSONAL results.

Running is personal, what works for one person may not work for you. They may be able to handle running more miles than you, maybe he can indulge in more Ben & Jerry’s than you, perhaps she will always be able to run her intervals just a bit faster. Sometimes that reality STINKS, but it’s a reality.

She’s thinking something…it better not be the can’t word! 😉

It’s also a reality that somewhere there is a runner comparing themselves to you and being envious. The running shoe laces up both ways.

I would be wrong to recommend we discard comparisons completely, that is counterproductive to our sport and our own personal growth within the sport. You WANT to look to the runner faster than you and use them to spur in you the motivation and drive to get out there and chase them. You just want to be sure you’re looking to them in the right mindset: one that will help you rather than harm.

No other runner or person can dictate how you’re going to feel. It’s up to you to make the CHOICE. Choosing to recognize you’re not the fastest person is acknowledging a fact, but then CHOOSE to use that as incentive to improve in ways you can. Don’t make the conscious choice to take the defeatist mentality and berate yourself. That applies with training and workouts and all other areas runners are apt to get drawn into playing the comparison game.

Running is the best sport, though, as runners we tend to be Type A and hypercritical of ourselves. It compels us to train on days most others would blow off a run but it can also be our own greatest obstacle.

How you choose to look at your competition is up to you, make sure it is in a way that lights that inner fire to run headlong into your highest potential.

1) Who do you tend to compare yourself to the most?

2) In what area do you tend to do the most comparing?

3) Which trait in others are you usually most envious of?

4) Which trait do you possess that you feel others are the most envious of?

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We Don’t Run From Something, We Run Straight TOWARDS Something

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Cait — 23 Comments ↓

My roommate thinks I’m crazy as I head out each morning for my run. Sometimes he’s sitting on the porch listening to music and the other day I joked, “You know you want to come with me!”

“No way. If I’m ever running it’s because I’m running from something. So what are you running from?”

“Hmmm, running from something. Well, why don’t you think on what I’m running from while I’m gone, see if you can figure it out,” was my reply in my little sarcasticy-joking manner.

“Why is it for me to come up with?” him.

“Okay, I’ll be gone and when I come back I’ll make sure it’s because I’m running from something worthwhile…I’ll make sure I’m stealing something really good,” and then I was off.

I’ve gotten the ‘running from something’ remark a few different ways
* Joking: “I’m only running if I’m being chased.”
* Fishing for a deeper meaning/Dr. Phil style: “You must be running from something, what is really going on here? Shall we explore?”

For the second one I’d like to flip it around to this: I’m not running from something I’m running TOWARDS something.

Sometimes I run towards sanity. True fact, I’m far more imbalanced without my miles.

I’ve run straight into torture. Wait, I mean intervals and races. 😉

Other times I run headlong into release. Frustration, stress, feeling lost, feeling overwhelmed, feeling enraged…you get the picture. Running into these feelings makes them more manageable.

I like to run towards my goals. Black and white benchmarks, progress checkers…with running it’s usually pretty easy to see if you’re headed in the right direction. There are lots of road signs to keep from getting too lost.

I’m always running into food. Do we need a better incentive to run? Really, do we? 😉

Ultimately I’m always running forward because that’s the only place we can go. I used to think that there is no real point in looking in the rearview mirror. However the other day I reassessed that when I wrote, “Sometimes we need to stop looking forward for a moment to take a look back and see how far we’ve come.”

So I amend my previous ‘rule’ of not looking over your shoulder. (Never in a race though, that shows a sign that you’re hurting and you don’t want your competitors to know that!) In our ever constant mad dash running forward, there are moments when you can look behind. Relish the times you DO accomplish a goal. Savor the bittersweetness of persevering though the really hard times, the times that you thought would break you but didn’t…be proud that you’re still here and kicking.

We are runners, though I don’t think we are running FROM anything. We are always running FORWARD into something better, with slight pauses along the way to let the moments that make us stronger sink in so that we’re assured we are brave enough to keep running headlong into what awaits.

1) What’s your answer to people who say, “What are you running from?”

2) What’s been one of the funnier twists on what a person says about why they don’t run? (ie: I only run if I’m being chased by rabid dogs.)

3) What has been a moment that you feel is important to look back over your shoulder on and remember that you’ve been there or done that?
Faced never being able to run again and proved that I WOULD get back. 🙂

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I Run For Bribes…Bribes and Blackmail too I Guess

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Cait — 16 Comments ↓

I tell my legs that if they run the miles I want I’ll like them better. Apparently they are suffering from such low self-esteem that they will put up with anything to be my friend.

I’ve promised these same legs that if they carry me through that last mile, don’t slow down, just make it to the finish line, then I’ll reward them with a break. I leave out the part about the cool-down.

My lungs sometimes are upset that I’m not sucking air in fast enough, in enough volume to keep pace with the muscles screaming for precious oxygen. So I’ve bartered with the lungs, agreed that they only have to put up with me for the duration of my long run and then for the rest of the day I’ll walk around mouth agape, like a fish. That certainly would be enough O2.

My body gets annoyed when I continue to ignore it when it whines, “I’m tired.” So I ante up this, “Okay, fine, put your miles in for the day and then I promise to be a sloth. Just give me my run.”

There are points where a run *gasp* feels a bit like a chore. I fall back on bribes…and blackmail. My carrot is the pint of Ben & Jerry’s, my blackmail is reminding myself I’ll only be stuck with my runner guilt if I were to skip the miles. On go the running shoes.

I’ve written down a time, nothing more complex than numbers. Black and white digits. But these are some of the most powerful bribes. No need to embellish the naked truths that lie within these numbers: the truth of work, pain, suffering in the sickly addictive way. I think these are my favorite bribes.

Bribes seem to work well for runners; you see, some things are much more enticing than money. The rewards so much more fulfilling than anything of actual monetary value.

1) What’s a bribe you’ve used to get what you want for your body in terms of running?

2) What is an example of a bribe that is more motivating to work towards than if you were offered cash money?

3) Is there a time when the bribe didn’t work, or you had to resort to blackmail instead??
Runner guilt…proven and effective blackmail!

Run Your Fortune

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Cait — 28 Comments ↓

Sometimes you have to force your own fortune. Decide that you’re not happy with what currently is and run forward into what you’d like to be. Dare to dream your fortune and run for it.

Running is unique from most other sports. The potential to improve rests solely on your shoulders, if you don’t put in the training there is no one else to blame. Come race time there is no one else to hide behind. It’s you versus the run. Daunting perhaps; yet there is a naked truth that is beautiful.

The Run Your Fortune brand centers around the idea that YOU play a major role in what your future, or fortune, may be. While it superficially applies to running and how far you are able to stretch yourself in the realm of miles and sweat; the deeper lessons that running teach us all is that life works much in the same way.

Being a runner has made me a stronger person, no question. I have overcome things in life I know I would never had made it through had I not been a runner first. I believe we all have the formidable force of a runner inside of us, no matter how fiercely a person may argue to the contrary; it just takes motivation and drive to bring that runner out.

What I hope you all can gain from my personally designed running shirts is inspiration to dream your fortune. Motivation to run for it regardless of the obstacles that lie ahead, there will always be obstacles. Finally, appreciation for all that you, and your body, are capable of.

It’s simple:

Dream Your Fortune: Take some time to set a goal for yourself. Make it big enough to where it scares you a bit.

Write It: Write your goal down on the enclosed Run Your Fortune fortune slip.

Share It: Boldly affix your fortune to the shirt. If you’re brave enough to, place it on the front in clear view of the world. Though, some fortunes are personal and that’s okay too; apply it on the inside and hold it closer to you.

Run: You determine the odds in your fortune coming true; this shirt is there for the days you’re tempted to skip a run and it acts as a reminder as to WHAT you are running for.

Repeat: Goals and fortunes are meant to be achieved. Celebrate your hard work; however, never stop dreaming or wondering what you can achieve, and never limit your fortune. Merely set a new fortune and add it to your shirt.

I introduce you to the very FIRST running tee in the Run Your Fortune brand and I hope you enjoy it. Here are the details:
* American Apparel Tri-Blend Track Tee
* Sizes S-L
* Cost: $30 plus shipping

And my best ‘I’m a model half-smile’…don’t worry I’ll be wrangling up better models ASAP! 😉

Order your’s now at my store!

I’m excited to see where this goes and hope you are too!

1) What is a fortune you’re setting for yourself and are brave enough to run for?

2) Any thoughts, feedback, or comments on the shirt is welcomed too!