The Power of Words

February 23, 2014 Faux Runner Comments 0 Comment

The power of words, however casually said, is enormous. It has the ability to motivate and inspire. It provides me with extrinsic motivation, and has the ability to pull me through when least suspected.
(Of course, I’ve also been told that I’m a bit over-dramatic at times 🙂 )

Anyway, case in point – this morning’s run.

I started the intended 12 mile run with a smile. I took my music off and just listened. Listened to the cars go by, the birds chirping, my breathing, thinking over some things from work, smiling at the memory of my munchkin who turned 8 yesterday, replaying some of my latest obsession’s soundtrack and dialogs in my head, listening to my feet hitting the ground. And just ran.

My garmin is set to run/walk intervals. Perhaps I did use the intervals. I can’t remember. I only remember smiling a lot.

After about 10 miles, the smile faded a bit and the mind started wandering. Once the mind started going places where I did NOT want it to go, it was flooded with demons. Negative thoughts, why was I doing this, why run , why race, why put my body through this, why …. I kept thinking back to the run when I had a meltdown at mile 12.5 after feeling great for 11 miles, the run that I was so afraid of inspite of running it with a BRF, the run that ended with cramps at mile 12 after some great middle miles … I kept thinking about runs gone wrong.

Oh, those tricky mind demons! Just waiting for the slightest opening to swarm in and take over!

My legs felt good (unlike my last meltdown when my legs gave up too) and darned if I was going to let those demons take over! I started digging in to think happy thoughts. And for some reason, a short conversation I had yesterday stuck to me.

Screen Shot 2014-02-23 at 11.42.11 AM — *Told you it was only a short “conversation”*

And there is was … in my own words.

“Running is always fun for me. I can’t imagine ever not loving it …”

So why was I letting demons take over? Why was I letting them make me hate running at that instant?

I can’t say that I snapped out of it like *that*, but the thought that I was allowing the demons to take over something I LOVE did it for me. I love running, the freedom of it all.

Screen Shot 2014-02-20 at 10.57.46 AM.jpg — Absolutely true words!
(Published on my facebook page www.fb.com/fauxrunner last week)

To allow something ruin it for me was to lose that freedom. Only I had the power to give the demons permission to take over my mind and I was not going to do that. I wasn’t going to stop having fun. Not today.

The smile on my face came back. At first it was forced, and then it became gradual. And then it turned into a goofy grin. That’s when I knew I’d won and I could run another 3 miles if I wanted to.

And so I did!

The 12 miles turned into 15 miles. And ended with a great big smile.

People are motivated by so many things, today it was the power of those simple, casual words that motivated me.

Now to just hang on to the motivation!

Screen Shot 2014-02-23 at 12.11.28 PM — First run on pavement in forever! And all smiles at the end of 15 miles.

Do you have a mantra/happy place that you call upon to battle those mental demons? What is your secret to push through the worst that your mind can throw at you?

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