Whether you’re running your first marathon, or your 31st, you will have times of doubt as you prepare. Just going to throw that out there to let you know, you’re not alone. Even elite athletes struggle along the way.
The question is, what do you do when they happen? How do you stay in the right mindset to get past them and get to the finish line?
Perhaps you’ve heard this Yogi Berra quote about baseball: It’s 90% mental and the other half is physical. His math is bad, but he’s on to something: The mental aspect of sports, including running, is very important.
The first piece of advice I’d like to impart is this: Keep pushing through the tough moments. Every time you finish a tough run, you should gain a piece of confidence. You can do hard things.
Secondly, it’s just running; It doesn’t define you (it took me a long time to get this one…). Your friends and family will love and support you no matter what happens. Don’t put undue pressure on yourself.
With that in mind, I always tell our Heroes, our kids don’t ask you what pace you ran or where you finished. They appreciate the sacrifices and struggles you’ve gone through to help them overcome the ones they have endured. Shift your focus to them, their hardships and the pain they’ve suffered, and all of a sudden, yours might not feel so bad.
I love what C.S. Lewis said: “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” It’s your destiny to complete a marathon and to bring hope and healing to kids in need along the way. It’s what Heroes do!
Another great tactic is to look back on all you have accomplished. You’ve worked hard and you’re not about to give up now, right? When it gets hard, go back in your mind to your best runs and bring those good feelings to the forefront.
Pick out a few mantras that you recite to yourself throughout your run. Here are a few examples I like, but keep in mind, they are personal, and you need to find one that works for you:
- “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done.”
- “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
- “Stay smooth, stay strong.”
- "Believe you can and you're halfway there."
- “Do, or do not. There is no try.”
The final piece of advice I have for you is to have fun! We all can find joy in our running. Some days it’s easier to spot than others. The simplest switch to flip is to say: “I get to run 26.2 miles today” rather than “I have to.” Rejoice in the fact that you’re able to put one foot in front of the other and that every step you take will mean a brighter future for the children of Mercy Home.
I’ll conclude with a quote from Jon Gordon, who says, “Being positive won’t guarantee you’ll succeed, but being negative will guarantee you don’t.”