My New Mantra
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Being that this is my first post on this site, I suppose it only right and fair that I share a little bit about myself and why I decided to start this blog. So, here it goes.
I’m 32 years old (wow it hurts to say that), and since high school I’ve considered myself a runner. I ran track (800M and 1600M) and cross-country, a “three-letter” athlete if you will. I was a decent competitor…2:07 in the 800, 4:57 in the 1600, 17:59 5K (on state course). Nothing scholarship worthy, but not too shabby either. After high school I continued to run, though not with much direction. It wasn’t until 2007 when a friend of mine suggested we run a 1/2 marathon did my training take on any kind of real form. Since then I’ve run several halves (1:50:27 PR), one full, and been involved with Team in Training. My last “real” run took place last September at the Philadelphia Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon. Then I got lazy…then I put on some weight…and stayed lazy…and the weight hung around.
Here I am, one year later, 10 lbs heavier (ok maybe 12-13 lbs) and way out of shape, wondering what happened to my drive and passion for running. So this past Saturday, out of nowhere I decided I was going for a run. I strapped on my shoes and my Garmin, and headed out the door. 20 minutes, I told myself. That’s doable. So I ran.
As with any run my mind started to wander…I started to think about how I had lost that drive to run, and what I needed to do to get it back. I needed a slogan…no, not a slogan…a mantra. Something I could really stand behind and call upon when I didn’t feel like running…when I’d rather stay in bed, rather watch TV, rather just do anything but lace up and go. It took some tweaking, but I finally came up with it:
Find the Reason. Find the Courage. Find the Strength.
In that mantra, I find everything I need to get out there and make myself stay committed to running and everything I set my mind to. Each day I need to find the reason, find the courage, and find the strength. Not to mention it’s got a nice cadence to it (try it out in your head, you’ll like it).
In future posts I’ll go into more details about the mantra, and provide hopefully funny stories about parenthood and running and life in general. It’s good to share so that you know, that yes, other people’s kids projectile poop too (more on that later)!
I found your link on Twitter (@accordingtokelly). I love your mantra. My brother was recently injured and has tetraplegia. My mantra is “I run because my brother rolls”. It gets me through each and every workout.
Thanks for reading and commenting! Sorry to hear about your bother…my older sister is paralyzed from the waist down. Definitely a good reason to run.
So far on Twitter I’ve heard this on Twitter:
“Just Finish” from @justrunjon
“Be Awesome” from @according2kelly
“At first you feel like dying then you feel reborn” from @gg_genevieve
Thanks for commenting on my blog – thought I would return the favor. My mantra while running changes. I can’t tell you something that lights a fire under my butt and works every time. Each run is a leaning experience and a bit different than the last.
Kinda like life, huh? Different from one day to the next.
Love your mantra. Great post, loving the blog so far! I have a few mantras, here they go:
-Pain is temporary, pride is forever
-Suck it up and keep running
-Just one foot in front of the other
And most recently, I love this quote from Paul Tergat:
“Ask yourself: ‘Can I give more?’. The answer is usually: ‘Yes’.
Think of that and just repeat “the answer is yes.” Very motivating.
Thanks for checking out the blog. The “Pain is Temporary” one was one we used in High School Cross country. And I can’t tell you how many times on long runs I’ve used something similiar to “Just one foot in front of the other.”
Just read this on the “Wise Running” blog:
“Enjoy the run and the results will come.”
“Find the Reason. Find the Courage. Find the Strength.” Yo! Good words to live by. Not sure I can reason with only half a mind, but I’ll do my best.
That’s all any of us can do.
Well, 1–Just F*cking Run 🙂 It gets me through….2? This hurts, but you will live. 3) You get chocolate milk after this!
#3 is definitely a motivator. On my long runs while training for marathons and half marathons, my running buds would just fantasize about the pancakes that we were going to have after!
Dream big. Have faith. Love life.
Love it!
My current favorite mantras are:
– You get stronger the longer you run
– This is what you came for
– Light and free is all you have to be
– Don’t be a baby
🙂
I also find that certain songs can help me dig deep and I play then when needed!
I like the “This is what you came for” one. Definitely a motivation.
Motivational stuffs!
Mines Dare Mighty Things, from the TR speech
It is not the critic who counts; nor the one who points out how the strong person stumbled, or where the doer of a deed could have done better.
The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends oneself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he or she fails, at least fails while daring greatly.
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.
“How bad do you want it, Waters?” My motivating, get – it- moving mantra 🙂
Whoa, Matt! I thought I was the only runner who ever became sluggish. The weather outside is frightful – ice on the roads and in the air – and I don’t own a treadmill. Carb loading, anyway!
I will start logging miles when the roads thaw – and it will be challenging.
My mantra? Running loves me!