When do you love running most? Perhaps when you have bought new running gear? Or when you sit down to read that new book on running? Or perhaps you really feel deep emotions and love when the run is over.
Hi my name is Heiko, thanks for taking the time to join me as I want to share with you an incredibly powerful tool to improve your love relationship in regard to running other relationship advice, definitely don’t ask me.
Especially this time of the year you might struggle to go outside. I mean if you live in the northern hemisphere there are many reasons you can find not to run. You never planned these excuses. Definitely not when you made your new year’s resolution. You just had the miles, the races in mind, so where do these excuses, this internal debating “should I go now or later”, or perhaps “I really don’t feel like running now” or “I will go later?”. And I understand where you are coming from:
Picture it. Monday morning, your alarm clock rudely wakes you up. And you know. But you check anyway, your run plan (still) says interval training. It’s cold outside, dark, perhaps snow icy road conditions. So, I hear you And if I keep on searching for and naming more excuses soon I will find the right excuse for me as well.
Did you know that there is a very effective solution, that if you practice it for the next 21 days, will help you overcome this internal conflict. Will ensure you get your running gear on and head out for a run without this lengthy internal dialogue and struggle to convince yourself.
Means you will be able to stay in love with your running. Because you are moving from excuses to doing.
What you need to do is be familiar with the skill of getting into a deep state of receptiveness. Best would be if you can do this early in the morning.
Means what state of what receptive?
That’s when you have switched your phone off, are in a comfortable position where no one will disturb you, and through a breathing technique you get your brain into a deep state of relaxation.
No need to make it complimented. If you are already familiar with meditation, that’s the perfect state to perform the next steps.
Step 1:
Think of your running goal. Perhaps to be a consistent runner. Or to be injury free, or crossing the line and getting your best time ever on a 10K.
Just think about the outcome. Don’t doubt, don’t debate the goal. Just focus on it, and then make yourself aware of the big milestones you will need to reach.
What are they?
What are the big training runs that you need to complete?
And pay attention to what thoughts and feelings come up that sidetrack you. Quick catch. They usually appear exactly at that moment in time. Perhaps they pop up in your mind’s eye, on the right, or on the left. Or perhaps from behind. Maybe it’s a clear picture, an image. Of your excuse. Your “reason” why you can’t run.
Maybe you are lost for words or cannot describe what you are seeing. It is because they are deep rooted rationalizations and excuses that are buried and hidden so deep. Your “Mr. Excuse”.
But you put them there, so you will be able to change them.
Now once you have them those excuses ask yourself these questions:
Do I really want to hold on to you Mr. Excuse?
So, what was or is the main purpose of the excuse?
Is there any truth in this excuse?
Now for a second, I want you to think back to a time when you were a teenager. Perhaps that time where you were incredibly self-conscious. Guys, it’s when your voice broke and you didn’t speak to a girl for the next 2 years and the teacher asked you to hold a speech.
Ladies, it’s when that first guy asked you to dance with the wrong guy.
And you replied “No”. Vehemently, with no uncertainty did you make it absolutely clear that it’s a “No”.
Recall your “No” moment. Dive deeper into it, relive the moment (without getting a panic attack), where exactly did you feel that “No” came from? Chest, or stomach, or maybe it was just there, in your mind. Pop: No.
Where is it located in front of you, or to the left of you?
And now recall your excuse.
Give it that same “No”. Push the excuse away, with all your might, fully determined. “No”, say it out loud. Give it your frustration, your anger and push it so far away, till you feel a physical relief.
On a scale of one to ten how relieved do you feel? Give it the first score that comes to mind. That’s the correct one.
Now the reason that you give it a score is in case you are a skeptic, but you felt a change, even you cannot deny it, through regular practice you will get it further down.
Now just imagine a future Monday morning. The alarm clock, the cold conditions, the interval session. Picture it clearly in your mind. And immediately carry on: see yourself as you get your running gear on, brace the weather and head out the door. Replay this in your mind, adding color, sound, intensity to this “that’s how it will be” scenario.
And now a special tip.
Practice this in real life, on a day where you have a bit more time available, and where the weather is more polite to your running plans. Stick to it, 21 days, and you will be the one running whilst the others argue for their limitations and excuses.
This was just a motivating and (once you’ve done it) easy exercise to complete, with a huge benefit. If you want to learn and explore more cognitive strategies, to enhance your running, check out heikostribl.com where we offer highly successful mind training for runners’, developed by runners’.
My name is Heiko. Thanks for reading! .
Remember, Take it easy.
