Photo Credit: laurenatclemsen
Tip 4: Think These 5 Things
So it’s that time of day that you can run. Maybe it’s first thing in the morning or right after dinner or perhaps your lunch hour and you’re considering whether or not to hit the trails. Stop right there and think these 5 things:
1. Put on running gear
2. Put on shoes
3. Grab ipod
4. Walk out the door
5. Run
May your next run be a good one.
Rebecca
Photo Credit: Now I’m Always Smiling
Tip 3: Unclench The Claw!
This sounds freaky, but it’s really true. I bet you are just like me in this way, too. Having a run hanging over your head can stress you out, can’t it? It can for me. Just knowing that I want to run 4 times this week, and really get in nice, meaningful runs, can cause a bit of a pang in my stomach, and a clench in my hands. I somehow develop the, you guessed it, CLAW! (Now, this isn’t to be confused with the Mommy Monster Claw that I use to chase my kids around the house, just like I always stop them from doing on their own, with my hands in the air poised to tickle them into fits of giggles.) This tension-filled, OMG I-have-to-run-and-get-this-over-with-Claw is more of a symptom of the wrong attitude I sometimes fall into regarding my running altogether. Stressing about getting the run “in” is in direct conflict with the peace and tranquility one is meant to find from the run itself. Is this true for you, too?
In many ways, getting into a better running routine for me comes down to a few basic things. It’s not really all about being goal-oriented or serious about running or needing to train or get into shape. For me, sometimes, it’s simply about chilling out and remembering that at the end of any given day, I am a happier me if I go for a run. I’m a better me once I’ve finished a run. I listen better. I laugh easier. I’m more patient. I have better ideas. I can stay awake later. I can even wake up in the morning quicker! And all I have to do is run to have all these benefits! So what’s with The Claw?
Unclench The Claw. Chill. Take a deep breath. Enjoy the idea that you are going to be a better you after you run. And then, tada! You will go and put on those shoes and hit the road. Done deal.
May your next run be a good one.
Rebecca
Tip Two: Finish strong. When you finish a run, do you sometimes feel so exhausted that by the end you’re just happy to be done running? Does your pace become an afterthought because you feel so exhausted? Then this tip is definately for you. Try visualizing a finish line, like this one, and quicken your stride. It doesn’t matter if you finish at any certain pace. What matters more is that you feel like you’re giving an extra effort for that last quarter of a mile to the finish. Why? This is where you can build your endurance, gain greater speed and psychologically overcome the feeling of exhaustion. By finishing strong, you actually push through the toughest part of the run with intensity, thereby allowing yourself to bring more intensity to your next run. Best part of this trick is that once you’ve finished the run, you can feel certain that the next time you run you won’t feel that tired. You’ll have made yourself just a little stronger, confident and fit.
Yesterday, my friend and I ran together and as we approached our finish we picked up the pace to finish strong, like we always do. Today I can feel a little soreness from that stride in. And I love it. The strength I gained from just that stride, that extra effort, is something I’ll actually bring to that same run when I go back to it this week, and I’ll finish even stronger and with more speed. It’s not just a perceived benefit. It’s a tangible benefit. Try it and you’ll see what I mean. I bet you’ll love it, too.
May your next run be a good one.
Rebecca
So yes, here’s the first in a series of Top 10 Tips For A Better Running Routine. They are designed for the psycho runner who can find any reason in the world to keep her from hitting the road! So get ready! If you’re used to putting running on hold for a variety of reasons, these next few posts will challenge you to knock it off and commit to a consistent running routine!
Ready?
Tip 1: Buy New Shoes Tomorrow - Run In The Old Ones Today!
Some days I put off running just because I start to think that I need new shoes and I’ll get into a better routine once I buy those new shoes. You too? Well, here’s the challenging thought: buy the new shoes tomorrow. But get off your behind and run in the old ones today. It’s that simple. One more run in the old shoes is not going to make a big difference. Make the plan to buy the new shoes. Commit to run in the old ones until you get the new ones. May sound obvious, but if you’re like me, it may mean getting in a few more runs, and a few more days of fitness, vs. allowing yourself to languish in the days of no running and therefore lack of fitness benefits.
This morning (I’m all about running in the morning these days) I ran in my old shoes. I’m convinced I need new ones. I haven’t purchased the new shoes. But I have been tricking myself into thinking that my running routine and the new shoes are related. I had hoped to buy the new shoes this week. But factors kept me from researching the shoes I think I need, locating them and hence buying them. See how it works? Do you ever do this?
It took a bit of psycho babbling in my head to get me to simply make the list that includes all three of those time-consuming tasks and realize that I may not get those new shoes for a couple of weeks. I’m not sure which ones I want to get. I cannot afford another pair of shoes that creates discomfort in my foot or knee. I need high-arched, stabalizing running sneakers. This might take a little time on my part researching, trying on shoes and talking to friends whose feet are like mine. So fine. I may not get those shoes for another week.
But I’m still going to run. I cannot afford to wait for the new shoes.
Deal? Now get out there and get that run in! You go!
Gotchya!
May your next run be a good one.
Rebecca
Just like they say on iTwixie.com, let’s be BFFs!
I promise, as your BFF, to:
1. Always share chocolate cake if you have leftovers on your countertop
2. Make sure I’m in bed by 11:30pm, so I can wake up early enough to run with you or to let you know that I did, so you’ll feel motivated to do the same
3. Try and run in the morning, at least 3 days a week, so that on those days I will be chipper all day long and I’ll even try to get you to run with me
That’s the kind of stuff a great BFF will do. I promise I’ll always be your BFF!
May your next run be a good one.
Rebecca
It’s clear to me.
I need to run every morning or it’s just not going to happen.
Done.
May your next run be a good one.
Rebecca
Photo Credit: rightee
My new friend, Jill, reminded me that running is not about beating people, achieving a certain time or even about winning a given race. Running is really all about besting that terrible inner voice that tells you to quit.
Here’s to besting that voice every day. Here’s to “keep going.”
Happy 4th of July.
May your next run be a good one.
Rebecca
I’m often reminded that we live in a tiny world. With the launch of iTwixie.com, I’m getting the rare opportunity to hear from girls all over the globe. It’s amazing to me that regardless of culture, many of these girls struggle with many similar themes. And yet, doesn’t it make sense? If you’re a girl 8-14, aren’t you just bursting with enthusisam, curiosity and the wish to be who you feel you really are deep down inside? And as you find yourself experiencing all kinds of new things, aren’t you realizing yourself that there is even more to you than you thought?
Do you remember what it was like to be a tween?
I started to run when I was a tween. I thought running would help me look a certain way. But over time running became my escape. A pressure release. My challenge. Time alone. A moment of clarity. And at the end of every run I felt that everything was really a lot better than before I had gone on that run.
Thing is, today, our global society puts more pressure on our tween girls than ever. But we don’t have to. We can join forces and foster the development of tween girls no matter where they live. We can help tween girls identify tools for identifying their moments of clarity. Escape. Release. Challenge. We can help them see the world around them in a better light.
iTwixie.com. Join the revolution. Because it is a small world and together we can change it!
May your next run be a good one!
Rebecca