Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!
Now let's get started by talking about why acting childlike (notice I didn't say childish, there's a huge difference) might just be the motivation you need to get started running, to run more, to run better, or to renew your love for the sport.
But first, let's talk about what inspired this idea.... running in Crocs. Now when I said that, did you think of a child running in funky footwear? If you did, you're not alone. After all, children can run in anything right? And adults surely don't run in anything but footwear made specifically for running right? But would it surprise you to know that Nick Symmonds ran a 55.65 400m in Crocs? And that Benjamin Pacheco not only ran a 14.47.62 for 5000m in them but that his whole family also runs in Crocs? Now I'm not saying that everyone should trade their HOKA'S, Brooks and Altras for these funky foam shoes, I am saying that we should all be open to new ideas, new ways of doing things, and living life with a lot more abandon just like kids do. And just how do we do that? Let's look at a few things our five-year-old selves would most likely say to us if they had the chance.
1. Running really isn't that serious. For real. I've said this before and I'll say it again. If you're not sponsored and/or paying the rent with your race earnings, don't place a high priority on your race times or performance. The important thing is to have fun. Unrealistic expectations are one of the main thieves of joy and motivation. Now I'm not saying you shouldn't make goals... what I am saying is that you should keep in mind that there's a time and a place for achieving your goals. Not every run or race has to be your best. Slow down and enjoy the experience.
2. You really don't need all that gear. For real. Just get out there and run once in a while. Ditch the GPS watch, the heart rate monitor, the earbuds and the phone. Be like a kid and just run until you're tired of running. And don't forget that that it's perfectly fine to stop and look at shiny objects, to stop and pet every dog you see, and to talk to total strangers for the sheer joy of it. These should be your only distractions and there's no shame in them.
4. Take the nap. Remember when you were a kid and having to take a nap was punishment? Well now you're an adult and naps are no longer punishment but actually a reward for hard effort. But how many of us make the time to take them? Or recognize them as much-needed rewards? When we're tired, we opt for coffee or an energy drink instead right? But be childlike and take the nap! Do this often enough and you'll literally look forward to your long run knowing that you will get some much deserved zzz's afterwards. And I speak from experience here, the greatest naps are the ones you earn. These are the ones that not only refresh you physically but emotionally and spiritually as well.
5. Going for a run is it's own reward. Forget the bling, kudos, shirts and the medals. If the definition of a reward is a thing given in recognition of one's service, effort, or achievement, then just finishing a run or race is the reward for getting out of bed, getting dressed, getting out the door and doing the work when the majority of the world is still sleeping. See where I'm going with this? Run for the sheer joy of it. And for the food, always run for the food.
6. Don't worry about the destination, just run until you're tired. Channel your internal Forrest Gump (after all he stayed childlike his whole life right?) and hit the road with no particular route or stopping point in mind. You'll be amazed at the places you'll go and the things you'll see when you do this.
7. It's okay to get dirty. In fact, you should... often. And you don't even need to sign up for a mud run to do this; although you really should at least once in your life. Just don't avoid the puddles the next time you get rained on while out on a run. Jump in them the way kids do and laugh knowing that you have no one to answer to for getting your clothes dirty. Once again, this is all about putting the fun back in running. And it's no coincidence that mud and fun are both three letter words that share the same middle vowel. See the connection? They are most certainly related!
8. Last but certainly not least... if you're not having fun don't do it. For real, what's the sense of running if you don't enjoy it? Kids don't voluntarily do things they don't enjoy, so why should you? You're your own boss now. Besides, running is not the easiest activity and there are many other ways to stay fit and/or lose weight if that's your motivation to get moving. And while running can certainly be challenging, it's a sport that is as unique as it is individual; everyone will get a little something different out of it. But know this, those that continue to run for a lifetime all share a common thread.... running brings them great joy! Whether because of the sense of accomplishment, the way it makes their bodies feel, or the amazing people it brings into their lives, running is the one sport that can inspire amazing feelings of the most immense and pure pleasure, happiness and thankfulness a person will ever experience and will give them back everything they put into it and more. It's no wonder then that one of the hashtags the Bass Pro Fitness Series embraces is #runwithjoy.
So there you have it friends. Whether you're 18 or 98, revert back to your childhood from time to time so you can recapture those feelings of blissfulness running gave you then and can give you now. Running truly is a gift from our Creator meant to not only make our bodies happy but our hearts and minds as well. So run with joy today friends and don't apologize for any childlike behavior that might entail.
Happy Running!!!
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