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!
