Running Tip #4: Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude

This is very true.  You can really make or break your training or your event. It is very hard to stay positive but if you don’t you can really impact your performance. Recently this made a BIG difference for me for some long distance runs I was doing in preparation for my marathon.

Before my birthday, I went out for a 16 mile run. I was not really in the mood, I had not been training so much because I was working on some other areas for my challenge. I just wasn’t with it. The whole time I was out running, my mindset was negative. I was second guessing if I would be able to get enough time in to train for the marathon and did I have the endurance. Also why had I signed up for a marathon again? The run sucked, I was a half a mile short, issues with my sports bra and everything was wrong.

Last weekend, I went out for an 18 mile run. Although I had some hiccups which delayed my run (leaving my GPS watch at work, killed the car at the end our road trying to go get said watch, cycling 5 miles to get watch and not charging my iPod), I was ready. I had had a good week walking marathons and the runners gave me the motivation to really get into my training for the marathon in four weeks (YIKES!).  It was a nice day, I had on my new shoes, sorted out my refuelling plan and even though I didn’t have any music, I kept up the pace I was aiming for. I had positive conversation with myself. I just told myself, “I could do this”, “I was ready” and “I only had one more long run after this one”. That talk carried me to the 18 miles in 2.5 hours which really pleased me because it meant I was on target for the time I am after.

“Whether You Think You Can or Can't, You're Right”- Henry Ford.