What’s up goal crushers! Today we’re going to be taking a step back from the physical side of running and look at it from another angle altogether.
Now I know what you’re gonna say – “Martinus, what are you talking about? There’s nothing but physical when it comes to running!” However, you couldn’t be more wrong. When it comes to running, it’s nearly as mental as it is physical.
That’s why keeping in the right mindset is so important. Unless you can master the runner mindset you’re going to have some serious problems staying motivated on your path from your couch to your first 5K. Here’s some things to think about when it comes to mastering your mind as well as your body.
You’re a Runner, So See Yourself That Way
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that if you’ve strapped those running shoes on, you’re a runner. Thinking of yourself as a beginner or someone who just runs for a hobby is fine, but you’ve got to classify yourself as a runner from the very beginning, no matter your current proficiency or health level. Not doing so gives you an excuse to quit whenever you hit an obstacle: “well I wasn’t really a runner anyhow.” You’re better than that, so don’t think that way!
Stay in the Present
Whether you’re running on a treadmill or you’re jogging down the street, running gives you a lot of time in your own head. This can lead to your mind wandering, often to negative places – you can easily start thinking about things you wished you’d done differently in the past, or feelings of being unable to achieve your goals in the future. Instead, you’ve got to stay in the present. Stop those negative thoughts in their tracks and concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.
Pay Attention to Your Body
If you’re having trouble staying in the moment while you run, consider shifting your attention to your body. Feel the pavement or the treadmill under your feet through the soles of your running shoes. Listen to the rasp of your breath. Count your heartbeats. Additionally, pay attention to any minor aches and pains you might feel beyond the usual fatigue of running. If you find yourself experiencing a sharp or persistent pain, consider taking a day off from your running regime or going to the doctor. Mastering the runner’s mindset is all about keeping yourself healthy enough to run!
Be Confident and Proud
Whether you’re walking into the gym for the first time or you’re stepping up to the starting line of your first 5K, walk with purpose and pride. You’re a runner, so hold your head up high with confidence, even if you feel like you haven’t earned it. Studies have shown that presenting yourself as powerful and confident can have positive physiological effects, and that in turn will make your runs more enjoyable and more productive!
So there you have it – just a few ways to master that all-important runner’s mindset. Do you have any tips or tricks that work for you? Leave them in the comments section below!
I’m officially a marathoner!! All of the hard work, all of the miles ran, and all the ice baths finally paid off. For those who don’t follow me on social media or live under a rock this past weekend I ran the Detroit Free Press Marathon… And finished!!
Words can’t explain how I feel accomplishing a goal that I have worked for since I started this journey. Words can’t explain how I felt crossing the finish line…Nor can words explain how I feel as I write this post. Quite frankly I’m still in awe that I did it.
First I want to thank everyone who supported me. From the folks that cheer me on , to the folks who gave me advice along the way, to everyone who calm my nerves when things were getting crazy this past month. Thank you all!! I might have finished the marathon but this is a victory for all of us.
This shows that you don’t need to be a certain size or weight to do something like this…You just need hard work, dedication, and perseverance. I know many people want to know all the details of my race experience so let’s get in to it.
At the Expo!
On Friday I went to the expo to pick up my race packet. After I picked up my race packet I signed up for the last chance pacing team, even though I didn’t have a goal time in mind. I join the pace team strictly for strategy. The race had a time limit and if you fell behind the last chance pacer they will put you on the bus and bring you back to the finish line. That was not about to happen to me so I join the pace team so I know exactly where the pacer was.
The Dress Rehearsal
Saturday was the dress rehearsal I put on everything that I planned to wear during the race and ran a few miles… It was raining so nobody was outside, I happen to run past another running and she told me to get it in big man… Funny if she only knew what was going down the next day.
Race Day
Race day I woke around 4:30 am, excitement was running through my veins but I play it nonchalant when my mother and girlfriend asked me how I’m feeling. I got to the starting line found my corral, looked around and took in the environment. There were people everywhere, funny it ended up being a record attendance for the race.
So many things running through my mind, to keep my nerves down I started to tell myself that this is a regular training run there was nothing new here, new special, just me and the road. That worked for a bit until the race officially started. While waiting for my corral to get to the line my girlfriend decided to take a few pictures because when I come back I will be a marathoner.
My corral gets to the starting line and everyone takes off like a speeding bullet. I was tempted to take off also but I decide to pull back and chat with the pacer instead. Though I’ve ran many race I still feel like that I should be running as fast as everyone at the beginning of the race but I know that they will pace for it at the end. Anyways I stuck around the pacer until we got to the Ambassador Bridge (the bridge to Canada); I took a few picture of the view and chat it up with a few people.
One person that I had an interesting conversation with this woman named Carrie; it was her 6th or 7th half marathon. We ran and talked for about a mile or so until I had to make a pit stop. After my pit stop I took a few pictures along the way until I got to the Detroit tunnel (mile 7).
They say the underwater mile is a magnificent thing to experience. Well they were right!! It was so amazing knowing that you are running underwater. What would be it better if the tunnel was clear. Here are a few pictures below.
Detroit Free Press Marathon
Coming out the tunnel on the US side they had a big cheering section. It made it feel as you were a super star… Maybe they read my blog… After the tunnel we ran toward the Joe Louis Arena (where the Detroit Red Wings play).
After which I stop taking pictures to focus on my running. From mile 10-13, I listened to my breathing and feet hitting the pavement. I ran past a few people who read my blog… It was interesting because I think nobody reads my blog but a handful of friends, my girlfriend, and maybe my sister. We talked for a second or two then we went our separate ways.
Once I got to mile 13, I was in complete shock to see all the half marathoners head to the finish line as marathoners made a left turn. After the left turn it was hardly anyone on the road running. For a second I thought that I got off the courses. At that point I decided to put in my ear buds and listen to some music.
Mile 15 is where I met people again. When I started to passed folks they would get all weird and to try catch up and past me. This happened through miles 17-19, until someone ask me if I was on the pacer. Ha! This explains everything, I completely forgot that I was even on the pace team. Now I knew why was getting that “Holy Shit!” response when I pass someone.
Mile 19 was the entrance to the MacArthur Bridge which leads to Belle Isle. Between miles 19-20 I seen a few people hit the wall and it isn’t a pretty sight to see. I felt kind of bad for them because that meant they had to power through it or get on the bus. I tried my best to talk a person through it but he was done, he had lost all hope.
When I past the 20 mile marker, I thought to myself this is the furthest that I have ever ran. I’m now entering uncharted territory. I checked in with myself to see how that I’m doing. What was my pace looking like and whether I was in pain anywhere. I concluded that I was little fatigue but overall I was still good.
Once I got done checking in with myself a bus drives along side of me the driver lowers his video and says to me “You’re looking good big man,” I responded, “thanks!” Then he proceeds to ask if I would like a ride back to the finish line. I said Hell No! He laughed then drove off. I talked to a few people until the mile 21 came and the bus comes along side me again. The driver says, “You’re still looking good.” I said “Yup,” then he asks if I wanted a ride back to the finish line. “No thank you,” I responded and then he drove off again.
At mile 22 a woman gave me two hand full of Jolly Ranches, I immediately started to chewing on them. Then I past a couple that were running the race together and I jokingly said to them “look at my back” and that started the game of cat and mouse. About a ½ mile later, the couple catches and passes me with the respond, “Look at our back!” As they passed me that damn bus pulls alongside me again and the driver says to me again, “You’re looking good,” this time I don’t even give him a response. Then he asks if I would I like a ride back to the finish line. I just waved him off.
I continue to the cat and mouse game with Jodie and Jonny boy (yeah by now I knew their name) until mile 24. They passed me but I wasn’t able to catch up to them again. Then I started to feel really fatigue and my back was starting to ache. Still popping Jolly Ranchers I told myself, that I’m not getting on that bus no matter what so I needed to power through and get to the finish. After I have this conversation with myself the bus pulls alongside me again and say you’re starting to slow down, now do you need a ride to the finish line? I didn’t even respond I just kept looking forward and kept moving.
When I got to mile 25 a guy on a bike asked me, “Do I know where I am?” I said the finish line!?! He said you’re at mile 25 keep going. A ½ mile later another guy on a bike asks me, “If I would like a ride to the finish?” I look at him and said, “Are you serious I’m almost there.” However at this point my mind was starting to play tricks on me, I had thoughts like, “If you got on the bus the pain would go way or maybe if you stop and walk for a few seconds you could run faster.” It took all my mental power to say no and kept moving.
I made a left turn and I could see the finish line. I could see my girlfriend and mother cheering and that gave me the boost of energy I needed to sprint to the finish.. I did it!! I’m a marathoner!! Everyone is asking how it feels all I can say is I’m tired…. Where’s that bagel I bought before the race. That was my experience of the Detroit Free Press Marathon.
Detroit Free Press Marathon
Detroit Free Press Marathon
Detroit Free Press Marathon
Detroit Free Press Marathon
I know this post is pretty lengthy so stay tuned. Next time I will discuss what I learned from running the Detroit Free Press Marathon.
What up goal crushers! 8 days! 8 days left until my first half marathon! Wow, I really need to stop and let that soak in for a minute. It’s astonishing to see how far I’ve come, from not running at all to my running first 5K then 10 now preparing to run first half marathon. I must that I’m very proud of myself for sticking with the training because lord knows there have been times where I wanted to quit and go eat a whole cake and a gallon of butter pecan ice cream. Now all I need to do is make it to the starting line injury free. I have 8 days to my first half marathon and the butterflies are starting to emerge from their cocoons and stir around in my stomach. At times I can’t tell if its nervousness or the runners runs going on inside of me. I’ve been mentally preparing for the race however controlling my own thoughts of disbelief is a daunting task. Questions like: did I train hard enough; will I be able to complete the race; why didn’t you run in Jamaica; run through my mind as if they are training to hold me down during the race. I even caught myself unconsciously saying, “I’m capable of running and finishing this race,” as if positive thoughts are in combat with the negative ones. All of this is happen while my body just wants to get the thing over with… Yea I have a lot going on right now. So with a week and a day left until the half marathon, I have a 10 miler set for this Sunday. Tapering will begin on Monday, where I will not run any distance over 4 mile in order to save my legs for the big day.
Question of the day: Do you have pre-race nervousness? If so, how do you combat it?
p.s. We are conducting a survey of people who are either 1) bloggers who blog about their weight loss journey, or 2) people who read blogs written by people on a weight loss journey. We want to understand what bloggers get out of the experience and we want to understand what readers get out of reading blogs. So if you have a few minutes please complete the survey.
The official start of summer is upon us, if it’s anything like last year it’s going to be hot and humid. Running in the summer heat could be dangerous if you never done it before. I learned the hard way last year so I decide to give you all 7 summer running tips, that I wish someone would have told me when I started this journey.
Stay Hydrated
You could lose up to 20 oz. of fluid for every 20 minutes of running. It’s always a good idea to pre-hydrate (10–15 oz. of fluid 10 to 15 minutes prior to running) and drink fluid during your running especially if you are out in the sun for more than 45 minutes.
Become an early bird or a night owl
If at all possible do not run during the hours of 10 am and 6 pm. Instead run during the cooler times of the day in the morning or in the evening. If you run in the morning, you’ll avoid the heat, but may encounter a higher humidity. The air quality is also better in the morning, since ozone levels increase soon after dawn, peak at midday, and then again in the early evening.
Stay visible
No matter what time of day that you run, it’s important that you’re visible, especially to drivers. Get in the habit of wearing white or bright-colored clothes. When running in the early morning, night, or dusk, make sure you have reflective gear on. A reflective vest can be worn over any form of running clothing and will definitely help drivers see you.
Lather up
Research has shown that runners have a higher rate of skin cancer. I’m pretty sure that’s because we’re outside more during the summer months and wearing less clothing than the average person. Be sure to use a sports sunscreen that’s waterproof with a SPF of 15 or higher. My personal favorite is Neutrogena Ultimate Sport Sunblock Spray, its light weight, waterproof, unscented, easy to apply and to get off with soap.
Put a lid on it
In addition to sun screen don’t forget to wear sunglasses and a hat or visor. This will help to keep the sun out of your eyes as well as the sweat. Make sure the glasses provide 100% UV protection and that the hat is made of light technical fabric that promotes evaporation.
Protect yourself at all times
Carry a bottle of pepper stray you never know what you may run into … dog, attacker, skunk , who knows just be prepared. My personal favorite pepper spray is Ruger Pepper Spray. It has lights, it makes noises, and the spray is pretty strong.
Check the index
Check NOAA’s heat index before you head out.
Enjoy these 7 summer running tips and b e safe while running. Now it’s your turn! What summer running tips you wished someone would have told you when you started running?
Now that I’m back from vacation I leave no hesitation to getting back into the swing of things. I haven’t gone for a run in over a week and my first half marathon is in 2 weeks. Needless to say I need to put my feet to the pavement. During my warm-up, I contemplated what distance I should run. Feeling the tightness in calves I agreed that running a 5k should be a fine distance to break the ice. As I worked up the mental courage to get started, I thought about how far I’ve came and how much further I have to go and started my run. While I listened to the rhythm of my breath and feet hitting the pavement, I tried to give myself a reason to stop what I’m doing, quit and go home. The only thing that came to mind was all the people I would be letting down if I did quit including myself. It made me wonder, how could I come so far and still have thoughts of giving it up? Where is this undercover self-doubt coming from? I have no intentions of giving up and letting go of what I worked SO HARD to get. So why am I having thoughts of quitting run through my mind? I do know one thing, I’m not going to listen to these thoughts, and I’m not letting anything get in the way of my goals. While this suppose to be a post about my first run since my vacation it has become a declaration to world that I’m not giving up on my goals. I’m going to see it through to the end. BTW I did complete my run and it felt great to be done.
What do you think about this? Do you have thoughts of quitting?How you you combat them?
After my run to Coit Tower I got a text later on that day asking me if I’m available to go running the next day at the San Leandro Marina. I said of course!
The next day around 5pm I hopped on the BART, which is the subway system of San Francisco and rode it for about 30 minutes. I got off at the San Leandro station, headed downstairs and walked towards the street. A car pulls up in front of me and its @VonChunk! @VonChunk and I started our weight loss journey around the same time. We tweet at each other at least 3 times a week giving each other advice and support; it was amazing to finally meet her in person. So I hopped in the car and @VonChunk took me to her favorite place to go running, the San Leandro Marina. I get out the car and the view was breathtaking…. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves…..
We talk a bit while running and it felt liking I was talking to a friend that I’ve known for years. After the run @VonChunk invited me to dinner with her and her best friend. But before we got there we had to take a pit stop by the 99 Cent Only Store which was a pretty big deal to me because I’ve seen it on the travel channel.
At dinner we sat, talked, laughed and ate; very similar to what I would do with my friends back home. After dinner they drove me back to my hotel but only after stopped to see the Bay Bridge. When we get to my hotel, @VonChunk tells me that she will be outside of my hotel at 6am the next day to take me running over the Golden Gate Bridge!
Stay Tuned to see how was my run on the Golden Gate Bridge. Until next time I’m 300 Pounds and Running
Stay Hydrated
, its light weight, waterproof, unscented, easy to apply and to get off with soap.
. It has lights, it makes noises, and the spray is pretty strong.
