Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Just keep Swimming . . . and a few other running mantras?



I know what you are thinking.  How is a mantra about swimming relevant to endurance running?  What can I say, the reference makes me smile, and anything that can make you smile when you are in the depths of a terrible emotional low and self doubt during a race is a godsend.  So, just keep swimming.

Speaking of swimming, Diana Nyad’s mantra made national news this weekend when she finally managed to complete her swim from Cuba to Key West.  Find a way.  I love it!

All Day.  I heard this one recently in an ultrarunnerpodcast interview.  I wish I could give credit to the runner that mentioned it, but I can’t recall who it was.  It reminds me of the explanation I try to give loved ones when they express concern about destroying my body chasing ever increasing endurance distances.  I’m doing something that I love, I’m doing it in places that allow me to experience nature’s wonders and I get to do it all day long.  What could be better than that?

It gets better.  A little hope is a wonderful thing.

Most of my local running friends are very familiar with this last one.  I think it resonated among those who share a desire to push themselves beyond their comfort zones and break through their limits.  When I find myself in a dark place during a race, feeling sorry for myself, I remind myself that I knew this would be difficult and that there would be hardship.  Overcoming these lows is exactly the experience I signed up for and the emotional highs that will follow when I make it through to the other side will be amazing.  I paid for this.  I wanted to be here, in this moment, good or bad, so . . . .

Suck it up, Buttercup!