Mantras
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rduhlir
Posts: 3,550 Member
Every runner has been there before. They have stepped up to the race line or onto the treadmill, not believing in themselves that they could accomplish what they have set out to do. They start running, and before you know it they are way behind in the race....or if they are beginners, have already stopped running well before the walk break. But what people don't realize...is often times they did this to themselves. They started out thinking or knowing they would fail, and so when things started to get tough they gave up. They were defeated before they even laced up their shoes.
So what keeps a runner going after the pain starts to creep in? What keeps that beginner excited and ready for week 5 day 3? Mantras!
You will hear it here, and every where you go in running: Running is 50% physical and 50% mental. Self doubt and ideas of defeat can cause just that....defeat. But mantras can keep those thoughts at bay. What are mantras? Mantras are chosen words that you tell yourself through out a run. They are phrases that you start thinking about when negative thoughts start to creep in. And eventually, with enough training, your brain will start firing them at you well before the negative thoughts make it into your consiousness.
What makes good mantras? Short, up lifting and motivating phrases or images. Anything that turns something negative into something postive. Here are some of my mantras:
Each step is one step closer to the top.
Just keep running.
You got this.
It might suck now, but it will feel good later.
One mile at a time.
This is what you trained for.
Look how far you have come!
Suck it up!
Run Strong, Think Brave.
What are some of your Mantras?
So what keeps a runner going after the pain starts to creep in? What keeps that beginner excited and ready for week 5 day 3? Mantras!
You will hear it here, and every where you go in running: Running is 50% physical and 50% mental. Self doubt and ideas of defeat can cause just that....defeat. But mantras can keep those thoughts at bay. What are mantras? Mantras are chosen words that you tell yourself through out a run. They are phrases that you start thinking about when negative thoughts start to creep in. And eventually, with enough training, your brain will start firing them at you well before the negative thoughts make it into your consiousness.
What makes good mantras? Short, up lifting and motivating phrases or images. Anything that turns something negative into something postive. Here are some of my mantras:
Each step is one step closer to the top.
Just keep running.
You got this.
It might suck now, but it will feel good later.
One mile at a time.
This is what you trained for.
Look how far you have come!
Suck it up!
Run Strong, Think Brave.
What are some of your Mantras?
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Replies
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Just Keep Your Feet Moving
You ran [X amount of time] last time, so you can run at least that far this time
(followed by)
You only have [X amount of time] left so you can finish
I've got this.0 -
Every mile you have put behind you says that you aren't going to quit now.
Just run.
You only have X miles (or minutes) left. You've run that before.0 -
I'd also like to add - the mental is also overcome by the physical.
How many of us, somewhere in Week 4 or 5, realized that we just needed to trust the program and do each day as it comes because we obviously had underestimated our running abilities OUR WHOLE LIVES? That experience, the accomplishment of the 20 minute run and graduating the program are part of what will keep you moving during a 5k, 10k or half marathon. Breaking through physically teaches you to laugh at your self-doubts. Because you get used to being wrong about what you are capable of.0 -
When I'm struggling I just keep repeating "You can do this" over and over until it passes. It's simple but gets me through it.0
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I'd also like to add - the mental is also overcome by the physical.
How many of us, somewhere in Week 4 or 5, realized that we just needed to trust the program and do each day as it comes because we obviously had underestimated our running abilities OUR WHOLE LIVES? That experience, the accomplishment of the 20 minute run and graduating the program are part of what will keep you moving during a 5k, 10k or half marathon. Breaking through physically teaches you to laugh at your self-doubts. Because you get used to being wrong about what you are capable of.
100% this.0 -
This is great advice.. I just started W4 sat and those were the longest first 5 mins but I just kept saying come on,you can do it,do it, lets go and I did it and kept going. So i guess that's my mantra "come on, you can do it, do it, lets go"
Reading what all of you have to say and seeing all the accomplishments you guys have made really helps me and encourages me to keep going and believing that I can do it too and I can finish C25K and I will one day be a runner like all of you. Keep posting all these great words for newbies like me who want to get to where you guys are today :flowerforyou:0 -
This is great advice.. I just started W4 sat and those were the longest first 5 mins but I just kept saying come on,you can do it,do it, lets go and I did it and kept going. So i guess that's my mantra "come on, you can do it, do it, lets go"
Reading what all of you have to say and seeing all the accomplishments you guys have made really helps me and encourages me to keep going and believing that I can do it too and I can finish C25K and I will one day be a runner like all of you. Keep posting all these great words for newbies like me who want to get to where you guys are today :flowerforyou:
You know what - you already are a runner! Yay! How cool is that?0 -
You think?! May be to soon, no? Maybe in week 6 I can feel and say I am a runner.0
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You think?! May be to soon, no? Maybe in week 6 I can feel and say I am a runner.
No. You are a runner. You run. You've been running regularly for a month. It'll take you a bit to get your head wrapped around that (it took me MONTHS after graduation), but I haven't read a single definition of being a runner that excludes you.0 -
It took a long time for me to be able to call myself a runner too. When I started C25K, in my mind there was some magic milestone I had to reach to qualify as a runner - a certain time or a certain distance or a certain number of runs. But I never had a run where I thought "oh now I'm a runner because I did that." The moment I feel like I became a "real" runner was the first day I really wanted to go out and run and wasn't just doing it because I thought it was good for me.0
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I have on those tough C25K weeks said to myself the following:
Don't be a wimp, you can do it
You did it before, you can do it now
So & so did it, why can't you
You want it then get it
The faster you get this done the faster you can go home
It's only one more lap, what's one more
So & so thinks you can't do it, prove them wrong
I still on hard runs say these things to myself or on days I am feeling lazy & want to stay warm in my bed.0 -
interesting... so ill be waiting for that aha moment without even realizing I am already a runner.0
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I have a new mantra that so far has helped me with everything from pushing through the end of a running stretch to saying no to that bag of peanut m&ms mocking me on the shelf. It's "play the tape through". What it means is, envision what will happen if I do it or don't do it. What will I feel like? Will I feel proud? Will it count as another step toward a long-term goal? Or will it make me feel like I could have done better?
This mantra, or maybe it's more of a visualization technique, has helped me stick with C25K and make some truly healthy changes. It's not the only one I use, and it's not a quick thing to do while running. But if I have to pass the time anyway, then I might as well play out the various scenarios while getting it done.
Love the above posts about taking on the runner identity! Very inspiring!0 -
I say a lot of those things, but also I admit, I tell myself that this run will allow me to eat more and to have that extra banana or piece of chocolate and I imagine eating it while I run. The funny thing is that the running tends to make me not quite as hungry on the days I run and I generally don't eat the extra food, but I LOVE putting the run in MFP and having the option to eat that extra if I want to.0
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Sometimes the only thing that keeps me going is the thought of telling someone afterwards that I DID IT, I ran X number of minutes!
And I continually have to remind myself that since I successfully completed the previous run, I am 100% capable of completing today's.0 -
Another thing...runs generally suck for the first ten minutes. Which means that most of you are still pushing through the hard part every time you lace up. If I'm feeling doubt after the first half mile, I'll remind myself that I'll probably feel a lot better in 5 minutes.0
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Hi! Just found this group- great thread!
Mine is "Oh yes I can!!!"0 -
I have a new mantra that so far has helped me with everything from pushing through the end of a running stretch to saying no to that bag of peanut m&ms mocking me on the shelf. It's "play the tape through". What it means is, envision what will happen if I do it or don't do it. What will I feel like? Will I feel proud? Will it count as another step toward a long-term goal? Or will it make me feel like I could have done better?
I like this a lot!0 -
GREAT thread!! I just did my first 2 - 10 minute runs today and almost talked myself out of it. But then I kept repeating, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this.........Then I thought, if I think today is hard, just wait till Saturday when I do my first 20 minute run!! LOL!
It also helps me to remember how hard it was to run just 1 minute when I started. Then 2, 3 and so on. I need to trust the program because it has proven me wrong time and time again!0 -
My Mantra...through C25K and even now 2 months after completing C25K and my first 5K:
I RUN.... I'm slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter..... but I RUN!0
