BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - Renew your love of running

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about how celebrating National Renewal Day (yes that's an actual day and yes it's today) can help you renew your motivation for and love of running. 

What exactly is National Renewal Day you might be asking and just how do we observe it? Well.... according to the folks at the National Day Calendar this is the what, why, when and how:

Observed annually on May 4th, National Renewal Day provides an opportunity for new beginnings. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, renewal is defined as “the state of being made new, fresh, or strong again: the state of being renewed.” The day has been correctly placed in the spring when plants are sprouting. The day strives to reinvigorate us after a long winter. Whether we choose to refresh our souls or replace our old rugs with new, we are charged with setting to work polishing up our state of being.

But how does this relate to running? Well... I had the blessing of volunteering at the OMRR (Ozarks Mountain Ridge Runners) Frisco Railroad Run on Saturday. It seems this same 

group that offers free training groups and programs for the Bass Pro Marathon and half also puts on some amazing races themselves. Crazy right? But sticking to my point, I spent the entire day interacting with the runners in different ways. And there was one thing I noticed that's true of all runs and so is worthy of addressing on this National Renewal Day. No matter how hard the race might get, those runners who chose to smile and have fun motivated others around them to do the same. Why is this so important? Because if you're not having fun, why do you bother? Why do something that makes you miserable? And those around you miserable too? 

Now if this has you saying, "Oh snap! That miserable runner is me! I've lost my joy of running!" there's hope to get it back. And that hope is found in simply renewing your attitude so when the next run or race gets hard, you'll smile and have fun in spite of it

On that note and in an attempt to help you gain back, renew, or even exponentially grow your love of running which increases your motivation to get out there, check out these six tips: 

1. Remind yourself that you don't have to do this... you get to do this. Running is a gift as is each day the Lord allows you to be here. Treat it as such and you'll gain a whole new appreciation for the ability to breathe and move. No one's forcing you to run. You get to run!! 

2. Remember that there are people who would trade places with you in a heartbeat. As someone who has experienced my fair share of injuries throughout the years that have left me sidelined for various lengths of time, I can assure you that this is true. And surely you know runners right now who aren't able to participate in the sport they love for one reason or another. Think of them the next time you're tempted to pout over a bad run. If you can run today, today is a good day!!!!!!

3. If you're not paying the rent with your winnings, what's the rush? For real! A finish is a finish no matter what the timeclock says. Is it worth getting there quicker if you haven't sprinkled a few seeds of joy along the route? It's really not. I've said this before and I'll say it again... people will NEVER remember your finish times but they WILL remember if you made them laugh or stopped to help them. 

4. If continually undertraining is the culprit of your frown and consternation, make a training plan and stick to it! There's nothing worse than hearing a person complain about being on the pain train when they bought the ticket themselves. 

5. Picture joy as a boomerang. When you send joy out by smiling or offering a kind word, it encourages all those in its' path and comes right back to you. You can never empty yourself of joy by giving it away. In fact, the more joy you will yourself to feel and show (and it is a choice) the more joy you'll have. This might not get you to the finish line any quicker but it will get you there with a smile on your face. 

6. Acknowledge that renewing your mind to think and act positively in any situation is a continuous and practiced process. Just like with gaining endurance, you don't get this mindset overnight. On the other hand, just like losing endurance, losing the mindset happens over a short period of time when proper training is neglected. 

So there you have it friends. There's no better time than National Renewal Day to revive your attitude and rekindle the love of running you once had. It's something that will take work, intention, and time but you'll be so glad you did it. After all, if you're not having fun... why are you doing it? 

HAPPY RUNNING!