Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!
Now let’s get started by talking about what’s happening this weekend… the Bass Pro Marathon and Half Marathon!!! Yay right? As you can tell, I’m super excited about these events that I look forward to every year and I hope you are too! I’m not only grateful for the ability to run 26.2 miles but for the opportunity to do it with friends (Bass Pro is always like a family reunion). And those are just two of the reasons I’m thankful to be running (and pacing the 5:30 marathon group that you can join) the streets of Springfield this Sunday. I have lots more!!
But speaking of gratitude, as race day quickly approaches, you might be wondering… what should I do if I hit “the wall” I hear so many runners talking about? This is a great question and something you should be prepared for since hitting the wall is something every runner will experience or has experienced. This dreaded breakdown generally happens around mile 20 of the marathon and mile 10 of the half. It’s a time when a runner experiences sudden fatigue and a loss of energy that makes every movement exponentially harder. A runner’s legs will start to feel as heavy as the pavement they’re running on and their mind will be saying things like, “I don’t think I can do this.” But this is not the time to give up! This is the time to grant yourself some grace and run a gratitude mile, something that will boost both your mood and your mind. You might not regain your speed but you will regain the desire to keep going! And as long as you keep going you’ll make it to the finish line!
So what exactly is a gratitude mile you might be wondering? Well... it's a time where you consciously call to mind the many things you have to be thankful for. And while it might be hard to start this thought pattern when you're in the midst of fatigue, pain, doubt, and/or discouragement, start speaking out loud the things you are appreciative of in the moment and soon a million things will come to mind. Getting started might sound something like this.... "I'm grateful for this beautiful course. I'm grateful for the falling leaves and the crisp air. I'm grateful for the sun. I'm grateful for the people who are waiting for me at the finish line. I'm grateful for this moment in time where I'm able to attempt something so amazing. I'm thankful for the smiling faces I see at every aid station. And I'm grateful for my legs, and even though they hurt, I'm grateful that I know I can do this." Do this for at least 15-20 minutes. By the time you’re done, the wall will be gone and you can press on. Hopefully, this will give you a new perspective as well and cause you to focus on the blessing of being able to run rather than the time it takes to cross the finish line.
Still not convinced? Here's what science says about it: Gratitude has been found to be the #1 predictor of well-being and a strong determinant of resilience. Resilient people proactively cultivate positive emotions like humor, gratitude and optimism. You don’t even have to find anything to be grateful for. The simple act of looking for the positive decreases the stress hormone cortisol by 23%. Just looking for something to appreciate increases serotonin and dopamine, the feel-good neurochemicals in most antidepressants. Gratitude affects your brain at a neurological level. Which means throwing in a gratitude mile (or as many as you need to keep your heart and mind happy which keeps your legs happy which keeps your body moving forward) is always a great idea when you hit the wall or begin to feel your energy ebb.
So there you have it friends. You've put in the work. Your race strategy is in place and you're ready for race day. And while practicing mindful gratitude might not have been a part of that strategy, I hope you'll add it in. You may not need to devote a whole mile to meditating on all the reasons you have to be thankful but you might just find that it's a good practice from start to finish, because it helps you realize just how blessed you are to be out there on the Bass Pro course. See you at the start line.
Happy Running!
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