Think Positive!!……..

Positive… This makes me reminisce of being back at school balancing on two legs of my stool listening to my physics teacher who sounded very much like the teacher in the Charlie Brown show waffling on and on about Protons and Newton’s. Positives and negatives which, boooored me senseless and all this time spent in the weekly lesson her droning on talking to the class literally went in one ear and straight out of the other.

On reflection, I’m obviously older and now understand a little more and now I’m taking notice of something that actually interests me! There are positive moments in our running, which goes hand in hand with the negatives. Many are quite obvious achieving a new personal best in events at varying distances, training harder, feeling fitter and more confident. Buying a new Garmin, trainers or running clothing all generate a feel good factor and probably a tweet with picture attached sharing with other followers!

Negatives (stating the obvious) will definitely be missing out on a goal you set yourself after months of training, getting injured, even a long term injury missing training, eating more with no way to burning off those excess calories that you would have easily gotten rid of by running. Missing a much looked forward to event, which could be a double blow as this could be costly as it may affect travel arrangements booked months in advance for a weekend’s hotel booking. You’re now resigned to sitting on your backside watching another depressing show on TV whilst itching to go and run but know rest is your only option. Its rubs you up the wrong way the following day too, heading to work on a nice day and you see the streets and parks full of runners which covers you from head to toe with jealousy! Maybe you cant fight it any longer so you go for a “gentle” run and then make the problem a whole lot worse, catch twenty two eh?

Sadly in this Yin-Yang lifestyle of ours have you realised you have another battle that may occur on a daily basis? It usually starts after running an event on a Sunday performing fairly well and dropping your guard treating yourself after the event… possibly to something fattening or alcoholic? Arriving into work the next day still on a high but possibly hobbling with the feeling of DOMS in your legs and being asked “Why are you limping? Oh, by the way… How did you get on in your race yesterday?” Have you tried resisting and stopping a big grin appearing on your face? Be honest you have probably been asked out of politeness! Because if you go into too much detail “At mile 6 this happened but by mile 10…… “ You can just see the glazed look and the slightest of head shaking as the facial expression of “What are you talking about?” ever so slightly starts to appear in their faces. It reminds me of the first time you tell someone you run marathons and a look of shock and horror on their faces is just priceless. You now start to talk more quickly, shorten what you had planned to say, skimming the surface as you now realise at this is the point you’re wasting your breath and you should get back to work now.

The colleagues you share your office with… Do you think they actually understand why you run and take a genuine interest or just ask questions out of politeness for office conversation? They clearly know you run, they know you train often and possibly know you have a routine of what you eat and when which probably includes calorie restrictions. To you and I that’s understandable, we can’t possibly run and eat junk and still perform well at our chosen “A - race” that we’re working hard towards to achieve those goals for that positive feel good feeling. Failure in any form…. Disappointment, a negative factor is bound to take over so there will need to be some sort of will power from within here for this not to happen? Be honest its still within your powers here.

As luck would have it, how much will power do you find yourself using to avoid or limit yourself to an invite after work to a public house just prior to your weekends race, where to be honest if you do pop over you’re more than likely not going to have just one alcoholic drink now are you? It’s someone’s birthday, or someone has baked over the weekend and brought in a few samples….. Maybe you can have a little slice of this “unhealthy food” or you politely decline. It could be just me being seriously OCD with what I eat but if you say the words…. And politely say. “Thanks but no Thanks” you’re looked at like you’re some sort of freak. Oh go on? Nag nag, pressure, pressure “honestly, NO thank you!!” which probably follows anti running comments putting you down for not being like them?... Woah hang on here! Be like you?… Hmm I was under the assumption running was a “healthy” sport good for us keeping our mind and body ticking over. We probably have a better diet than they do and very importantly our running keeps us on top of the every day and increasing stress in a working environment! This now means I stand… maybe alone on the other side of the fence than they are. This is the biggest signal that they don’t understand why we run because if they did… They wouldn’t ask or even challenge us? I find this scenario occurs fairly often at my place of work and I’m sure you too must face this constant battle. Its like a rock in a river constantly battling against the tide in their attempt to wear me down.

Sadly every runner faces these challenges and have moments of doubts leading up to a race and even en route to the finish line and unfortunately, you need to remind yourself it’s a mind trick! If you’ve not experienced this yet…. Mark my words… Oh, you will! Getting to the finishing line does not just require fitness and strength, it requires mental power not to give in but to keep going! It may require thinking of family or the considerate friends for encouragement and even keeping an ear out to listen to those loyal spectators shouting your name or race number at you as you run/stagger past them.

Honestly we’re all different so whatever works for you keeping you strong, do it and use it. You chose to participate thin this sport which includes the training and race entries, so injury permitting it’s now you mission to get to any finish line. This is why we need positive people, thoughts, and morale boosters in our lives. I love seeing your twitter stories and updates and #teammotivation and #tribefit hash tags certainly helps me to reach my goal. In return yes, I’ve picked up the T Shirts or a shiny new medal for my efforts. What I thrive on most, mind you is a collection of quotes online that I’ve found very useful in my time of need. As a gentle kick up the behind as a reminder. You may have your own but if not it might be worth you starting a collection. If have some of your own please feel free to share them with me! Don’t be shy!

Here’s just a few of my favourites :-

Running Quotes...

1.       Win or Lose you will never regret working hard, making sacrifices, being disciplined or focussing too much
2.       I’d rather have a life of “Oh Wells”… Rather than “What If’s”
3.       Strong People don’t put others down…. They lift them up!!
4.       Any fool can criticise your running. Ridicule, jeer, condemn, scorn, mock, moan, complain, poke fun - - and …. Most fools do!
5.       People too weak to follow their own dreams ....will always find a way to discourage yours!!
6.       The pride in finishing a marathon is much greater than all the pain endured, during a marathon
7.       If you are breathing.... Then you can keep going!!
8.       Know matter how slowly you're going..... You're still lapping everyone on the couch!!
9.       "Running is a big question mark...It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'" - Peter Maher
10.   “Any negative attitude on the part of others towards you is their pain, not yours!!” - Guy Finley.
11.   “If you don't do stupid things while you're young, you'll have nothing to smile about when you're old." @_WillSmith_:
12.   The only time you fail is when you fall down…. And CHOOSE to STAY DOWN!! 
13.   Dont let fatigue... Make a coward of you?
14.   Do… Or Do Not!! There is No Try - Yoda
15.   Yesterday... You said Tomorrow ??
16.   “When you say “It’s hard”, it actually means “I’m not strong enough to fight for it”. Stop saying its hard. Think positive!” – Louise Hazel
17.   "In the first half of the race, don't be an idiot. In the second half, don't be a wimp."
18.   Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit." Sheehan
19.   You can feel either sore or sorry tomorrow... Your choice
20.   "A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence"
21.   "Remember, your worst run is always 100% better than the person who never tries."
22.   If you're absent during my struggle, don't expect to be present during my success.
23.   It wont stop hurting, but you'll be finished sooner!!
24.   The voice in your head that says you *cant* do this... Is a liar
25.   When someone tells you "it can't be done," it's more a reflection of their limitations, not yours.”