Her response is one of my favorites because it is the response I get most often when talking to someone about marathon running. They want to know WHY someone would run that long without stopping.
My response to the question of why I run is pretty simple.
I run because I really, really like it.
My response to why I run the entire thing without stopping, though, has a bit more depth behind it.
I run without stopping for a few reasons.
The first reason has something to do with the fact that my parents raised me to never "quit" anything I willingly started. Whether it be my plate of food at dinner or a high school sport--they did not let me quit something I started. Even today, my conscious kicks in if I quit at 6.9 miles when I had set out to run 7.
The second reason comes from something I learned from my cross country coach years ago (thanks, Sherri). My coach taught me that when you run, you will want to quit. Your mind will tell you all sorts of things like you are tired and you should quit and you should give up. She taught me that the strength of a runner does not come from physical ability; it comes from their ability to tell their own mind to shut up. She once told me that if I quit and start walking in a race once, it will become easier and easier to quit and walk from that point on.
I tested her theory once a few years later in a long run. I was tired, so I stopped a few miles in a started walking. Once I walked that first time, it became easier and easier throughout the course of the run to give in to my excuses and walk again. I lost momentum as a result. Because I had stopped once, it was easier to stop a second, third, and fourth time. I decided I'd never stop to walk again (unless my body physically demanded it, of course).
Well, I think the lesson I learned from my coach can be applied to all of us--whether it be with our own workout routine or some other goal in life we set out to accomplish. When we give in to our excuses once, it becomes easier and easier to repeatedly do it.
Celebrity fitness trainer, Autumn Calabrese, is known for saying the phrase, "If you are tired of starting over, then stop quitting."
We could not agree with her more.
We'd like to inspire you this week to stop making excuses for not going after a goal of yours. Your goal may be to simply start exercising again. Your goal may be to start eating better foods for you. Your goal may be related to work or your personal life. Whatever the goal may be, we'd like to challenge you to stop making an excuse to "walk in the middle of a long run."
You see, running the marathon itself is not the hard part. The hard part is getting the courage to sign up. And then the even more difficult part is preparing for the race. I've learned that sometimes the scariest part of something is just getting started. And once you do get started, it is difficult to stick with it unless you have the mental will-power to keep going.
And the easiest way to stick with something once you get started?
Tell your mind to, shut up when you start making excuses as to why you should skip a day or quit.
The best part of running marathons is the feeling you get when you cross the finish line (and no, it is not because you are done running). I very vividly remember crossing the finish line of my first marathon. Jeff was screaming on the sidelines. I believe my mom was in tears yelling, "My baby!" And my running buddy, Emily, and I burst into tears upon crossing that finish line. The tears. yelling, and excitement were not sad tears. All of those emotions were because we were finally experiencing the reward of our hard efforts.
You, too, can experience this same feeling. To do so, though, you have got to stop quitting on your own goals. Force yourself into a routine practice that will allow you to accomplish your goals. Once you get yourself into the routine you've established to accomplish your goal, don't give in to skipping a day or "walking" half-way through it. When you give in and stop once, it becomes a slippery slope, and making excuses becomes easier and easier. We promise the feeling you get when you begin to make progress as a result of your efforts will be worth it.
So, step one is to simply pick a goal. If you have not recently experienced the sheer joy of seeing your hard work pay off, then it is beyond time to start working towards a goal. Step two is to commit to putting the effort in to achieve your goal. Step three is to find a good support system who encourages you. And the final step? Tell your mind to SHUT UP when excuses start reeling in. Keep your momentum going. The end result will be worth it.
As always, we will be giving a prize away again with this blog post. All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, August 11, 2016 The giveaway is open to USA residents only. This week we will be giving away a few movie tickets to the Lake City Capri Theatre AND a free Redenius Chiropractic t-shirt!
I run because I really, really like it.
My response to why I run the entire thing without stopping, though, has a bit more depth behind it.
I run without stopping for a few reasons.
The first reason has something to do with the fact that my parents raised me to never "quit" anything I willingly started. Whether it be my plate of food at dinner or a high school sport--they did not let me quit something I started. Even today, my conscious kicks in if I quit at 6.9 miles when I had set out to run 7.
The second reason comes from something I learned from my cross country coach years ago (thanks, Sherri). My coach taught me that when you run, you will want to quit. Your mind will tell you all sorts of things like you are tired and you should quit and you should give up. She taught me that the strength of a runner does not come from physical ability; it comes from their ability to tell their own mind to shut up. She once told me that if I quit and start walking in a race once, it will become easier and easier to quit and walk from that point on.
I tested her theory once a few years later in a long run. I was tired, so I stopped a few miles in a started walking. Once I walked that first time, it became easier and easier throughout the course of the run to give in to my excuses and walk again. I lost momentum as a result. Because I had stopped once, it was easier to stop a second, third, and fourth time. I decided I'd never stop to walk again (unless my body physically demanded it, of course).
So, why am I telling this story?
Well, I think the lesson I learned from my coach can be applied to all of us--whether it be with our own workout routine or some other goal in life we set out to accomplish. When we give in to our excuses once, it becomes easier and easier to repeatedly do it.
Celebrity fitness trainer, Autumn Calabrese, is known for saying the phrase, "If you are tired of starting over, then stop quitting."
We could not agree with her more.
We'd like to inspire you this week to stop making excuses for not going after a goal of yours. Your goal may be to simply start exercising again. Your goal may be to start eating better foods for you. Your goal may be related to work or your personal life. Whatever the goal may be, we'd like to challenge you to stop making an excuse to "walk in the middle of a long run."
You see, running the marathon itself is not the hard part. The hard part is getting the courage to sign up. And then the even more difficult part is preparing for the race. I've learned that sometimes the scariest part of something is just getting started. And once you do get started, it is difficult to stick with it unless you have the mental will-power to keep going.
And the easiest way to stick with something once you get started?
Tell your mind to, shut up when you start making excuses as to why you should skip a day or quit.
 |
| Ahhh, the finish line. |
You, too, can experience this same feeling. To do so, though, you have got to stop quitting on your own goals. Force yourself into a routine practice that will allow you to accomplish your goals. Once you get yourself into the routine you've established to accomplish your goal, don't give in to skipping a day or "walking" half-way through it. When you give in and stop once, it becomes a slippery slope, and making excuses becomes easier and easier. We promise the feeling you get when you begin to make progress as a result of your efforts will be worth it.
So, step one is to simply pick a goal. If you have not recently experienced the sheer joy of seeing your hard work pay off, then it is beyond time to start working towards a goal. Step two is to commit to putting the effort in to achieve your goal. Step three is to find a good support system who encourages you. And the final step? Tell your mind to SHUT UP when excuses start reeling in. Keep your momentum going. The end result will be worth it.
 |
| The end result is ALWAYS worth it! |
Have a great week!
Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius
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