That saying was the motto of the Tufts 10K road race this morning. I did not run it this year - although there's no way I'm not running it next year - but instead I got to stand and cheer on my step mom, Joan Benoit, Olympic athletes and 8,000 female runners. I got all teary-eyed at the start of the race watching all of these amazing women run past me. There were the Olympic athletes and world-class runners, there were the running club teams, there were women out there running their first ever road race and there was even a little girl with downs syndrome running. I was in awe of every single runner out there this morning and was literally kicking myself for not running it, too.
I got home from watching the race and headed out the door again, on a run. I ran way faster than I should have; the images of all the amazing women crossing the finish line made me kick up my pace a little too much. But the motto is true: Start strong, finish stronger. If that little girl with downs syndrome can go out and run 6 miles, there is no way that we can't do that as well. Congratulations to all the runners this morning; you truly all are an inspiration.
October 12, 2009
October 5, 2009
Excusing the Positive
Finding motivation to go for a run is an extremely difficult and painful process, at least for me. I am quite the procrastinator and can think of award-winning excuses for reasons not to do things. I don't know why I do this with running; I love how I feel about myself while running and after running, it's the before-the-run-excuses that really get to me. For instance, today, my excuse was, "by the time I get out of work today and commute all the way home, it will be dark, and who feels safe running in the city in the dark?" So, instead of letting my nay-saying head get to me, I skipped my hour lunch break at work and left an hour early instead. This way, I was able to get home before the sun went down and I wouldn't be able to excuse my way out of running.
The trick is to know yourself and to accept that self. I understand that I make excuses, but there are ways of channeling the negatives into positives. For example, instead of always creating negative excuses, I start to think up positive excuses. One of my favorite tricks: download a new running playlist with songs you're dying to listen to and don't let yourself listen to it until you go running. You'll be tripping over your feet on your race out the door. Think of other positive excuses for yourself. Do you really want to go shopping? Go running and watch as your body melts into a super fabulous new you. You'll be so excited to leave the dressing room and go twirl around the streets. Accentuating the positive in your life will not only get your feet out the door and your heart pumping, it will also lead to a more positive outlook in your day-to-day life.
I invite you to challenge yourself to think positively. Excuses sure are fun to make up, but they sure can hold you back. Instead, politely excuse yourself from the negative excuses and bring on the positive. You'll find that not only are postive excuses more fun to think up, they'll also help spark that confidence we all want and need.
The trick is to know yourself and to accept that self. I understand that I make excuses, but there are ways of channeling the negatives into positives. For example, instead of always creating negative excuses, I start to think up positive excuses. One of my favorite tricks: download a new running playlist with songs you're dying to listen to and don't let yourself listen to it until you go running. You'll be tripping over your feet on your race out the door. Think of other positive excuses for yourself. Do you really want to go shopping? Go running and watch as your body melts into a super fabulous new you. You'll be so excited to leave the dressing room and go twirl around the streets. Accentuating the positive in your life will not only get your feet out the door and your heart pumping, it will also lead to a more positive outlook in your day-to-day life.
I invite you to challenge yourself to think positively. Excuses sure are fun to make up, but they sure can hold you back. Instead, politely excuse yourself from the negative excuses and bring on the positive. You'll find that not only are postive excuses more fun to think up, they'll also help spark that confidence we all want and need.
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