You know those runs where you can kind of predict how the whole run is going to feel during the very first 10 steps? That happened this morning. I didn’t sleep well because Billy was gone studying (I guess studying for the patent bar and being an intern is a little stressful and takes some time) until late and I always get sucked into reading until really late when I am by myself.
Oh and the brownies. I don’t think those were very helpful…brownie hangovers= the worst.
I had a hard run on the schedule and I am stubborn so I wasn’t going to skip it. I knew I was in trouble during the warm-up mile but I decided to focus on THE MILE I was in and not even think about the next one. I repeated over and over again, just get through this mile and it helped me so much to finish strong and not worry about ‘how am I going to do this for x more miles?’
Splits: 7:45, 7:13, 7:12, 6:42, 6:41 and last 1.5 @ 7:11ish. Followed by a little cool down because I still had a few minutes until Billy was leaving so I took advantage of it and did a slow jog.
I like this little tradition of mine that I do right after my run when Brooke is still snoozing. Stretching and Ellen.
This below picture is NOT to show you my oatmeal but to show you how tired I was after this run. A) I couldn’t even put my t-shirt on correctly. Inside out and backwards. (I hate being in a sweaty tank because it makes me freezing so I change as soon as I get home). B) I couldn’t even eat breakfast without spilling a few times on myself. We will see how the rest of this day goes.
The sad part is that I spilled five more times on myself after I took the picture.
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The FedEx man brought us a package a while ago The FedEx man always makes us happy because he brings the best stuff. The package contained all sorts of goodies and Brooke was shocked about how much goodness came out of that backpack from NOW Foods. The slender sticks (what Brooke is playing with) are really helping me to drink more water (remember how that was a goal of mine?) because they are delicious. The grape flavor is my favorite.
Don’t you just want to jump into this bag? I was excited to try stuff out from their Real Foods section and they did not disappoint. The Raw Energy Nut Mix had the perfect mix of nuts and raisins and made for easy snacks. Great for a boost of energy at my ‘3 o’clock and I am ready to go to bed’ time.
One lucky reader will get a backpack full of goodies from NOW Foods!!! Good luck!
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To enter giveaway from NOW Foods tell me what one of your favorite running mantras is or leave a comment saying anything you want!!! You could even just say, ‘I want to win!’
Giveaway ends on Sunday June 16th!!!
987 comments
Amber H
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13
Melissa
This is one of my favorite verses for whenever I encounter something difficult in life!
[email protected].
Food??
FOOD???
FOÖD?!?
FOOOOOOOOOOD!!!
Martha
Mantra when running up hills: “What goes up, must come down!”
Hali
I said that SO many times during my last very hilly half marathon!!! :-)
Caitlin
I just think of all the people who can’t run or walk and realize this is nothing.
Kay
You are such an inspiration! I would say “one mile at a time” like you did on this run is a great motivational quote!
Cassie
Tend to zone out, sing with my music, or give myself lil ‘you got this’ pep talks… :)
Katie
This looks great! I’d love to win! Thanks!
Robin
My mantra: “You CAN do this…You CAN do this!!
Juwon
I think about my kids and how they would be rooting me on while I run.
And the snacks look delicious!
Hali
“You are getting stronger with every step”
“What goes up must go down!” (hills)
Yummy giveaway! Thanks
Lindsay
“There’s food at the end of this, there’s food at the end of this”
Keaghan
“Make this mile your bitch” and, of course, “Slooooow down”
They don’t contradict each other at all ;)
Steph
I just make myself run through a favorite song or promise myself food when I get back :)
Wendy
My favorite is: No matter how slow you go you are lapping everyone on the couch!
Mindi Decker
One foot in front of the other and you will get there.
Julia
I always tell myself “just get through this song” or “just five more minutes.” Usually by the time I get through the song I can make it through another and another!
Lauren
“Won’t back down” borrowed from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. I started using it last summer during the last mile of 5 mile trail run series. It really helped get me through.
Tina
please pick me !
Jessica vanlandingham
‘My head is on fire, but my legs are fine, after all they are mine!’ Love F.U.N. legs aren’t always fine but it helps get me through!
Vanessa
Hebrews 12:1.
And heck ya I want to win!
Kristen
The faster you run, the faster you’re done!!!
jen uzmann
From Dimity of Another Mother Runner- Don’t think. Just Go!
Melissa
“It’s not meant to be easy”
Gina G
Workout mantra: “Keep going, you never regret a workout!” :)
Amanda L
Mantra? I just focus on whatever delicious something I’ll be eating as soon as I’m done :)
Nicole
Mmmm trail mix!!
Amanda
I tend to take my runs like yours today and tell myself one mile at a time!
Linda @running4two
Food, lots of food, is waiting at the finish line!
Julissa
Well, of course I want to win!! But my running mantra would have to be just keep telling myself encouraging phrases and then when I’m almost finished just think “In 10 minutes, you’ll be done!” I also try to make the time go by faster by thinking of the things I need to get done for the day:)
Debbie
Don’t have a consistent mantra, but I will pick a certain distance to focus on one aspect of my running. On long runs, I pick a mile and will focus on quick turnover (or form, driving with my knees, strong kick, etc). On track workouts, I’ll use one interval to focus on tight core (or whatever I feel is lacking). It makes each one feel like its own workout and then I don’t feel overwhelmed by how much or far I have left!
Harper
My mantra is usually “workout so you can eat naughty things.”
Kaitie
I don’t have a mantra, but I do have a trick for when my long runs seem too long – I count numbers in different patterns and at different speeds. 1,2,1,2 3,4,3,4 or I’ll just count up and down from 100, or something similar. Concentrating on that helps me not think about feeling tired or the dreadful amount of heat :)
Also that trail mix looks absolutely amazing. YUM.
Katelin
If you add up a little bit each time, it makes a lot in the end.
Barbie
I love your blog…visit it every night after work…gets me motivated!
YOU CAN DO IT!
NOTHING TO IT!
DON’T QUIT YET!
NO SWEAT!
Cassie
“I don’t quit when I’m tired, I quit when I’m done!”
Pam
There is a book that I read to my kids that keeps repeating “Slow and steady, steady and slow, that’s the way we always go.” When I run I change it up and think “Fast and steady, steady and fast, that’s they way I want to go.” I don’t know if I actually speed up but it distracts me from whatever bad thoughts I was having :)
Christine
I love your blog!! You crack me up and I love your candy choices :)
Ruby
I am strong, I am powerful, I got this.
That looks like a great bag of stuff!
Carson
I sing the “Just keep swimming” song that Dory sings on Finding Nemo when I am battling a rough run. A little childish… but it never gets old and always makes me giggle a little bit and press on.
Sarah
I tell myself just go one mile and if u still feel like stopping then do but I never do. Always does the trick. I want win!!!!!
Sarah
That looks SO yummy!
Sarah
http://www.thinfluenced.com
Sammi
Ooooo I want to win!!
MemeBrooks
Pick me, pick me!!!
Nausheen
One last mile!
Amy T
“You got this.” And I think about how I tell my eighth grade students that they can do anything they put their minds to, so I think of them as motivation. I try not to quit for them.
Karen
I tell myself the same thing. Just get through this mile. You can do it and then you can quit. I tell myself that every mile on a not so good run till I finish and it does the trick.
Katherine w
I always just pick a spot or a landmark up ahead to run to, and then another and another… Which keeps me chugging along most of the time!
Erin
Just keep swimming – a la Finding Nemo! Ellen makes me happy =)
Becca
I’d like some of those goodies! My mantra varies…during last Sunday’s race it was, “Just keep going because the faster you run, the faster you’ll get to the bathrooms at the finish”! (I had to pee.)
Patti
Replying with your cell phone is dangerous
! somehow I commented on the wrong post!
Anyway, my motivation is ” I eat hills for breakfast”
Betsy
I want to win!
Lori G
I too use the “just get through this” !
Katie
I didn’t think I had a mantra until the other day I realised I had been chanting “You can stop when you’re done” for the final 5 minutes of my run!
Kristen
My mantra this morning during my speed work was “Push yourself! You CAN do this! Just make it to the blue fire hydrant!” (don’t have a track to do speed work so I do it on the flattest quarter mile of sidewalk I can find).
Jeri
I usually try to remind myself that the pain is temporary, and in reality the time you spend running is a small part of your day.
Luv What You Do
On big hills, I always say. “what goes up, must come down” to remind myself that there will be a downhill once I push through this uphill.
I love Ellen!
Amy
My mantra is “celebrate your good health”. After some past challenges with a nasty ten month bout of severe arthritis from a medication reaction and a break I had to take from running for a few breast cancer surgeries, I am blissfully grateful to be healthy again! Just appreciating my good health gets me through the tough workouts.
Prudence K
“You are strong! You are powerful! You are strong! You are powerful!”
Tammie
“Pick them up, put them down” I literally say that when I am dying just pick my feet up and out them down all the way to the finish.
Corie
My favorite phrase is “Pain in temporary, glory is forever.”. I used to say “Pain is temporary, quitting is forever,” but I realized I needed to be more positive during my hard runs so I changed it.
Natalie P.
I always say to myself, “Come on, let’s go!!!”
Sadly I have to take today and tomorrow off from running because I needed minor skin surgery….I am jealous of everyone who can run!
Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
Alyx
My mantra is, “The faster I run, the sooner it’s over!” But after my run, I am always so happy and remind myself that running is the best thing ever:)
Jackie
I think to myself, “You will get through this, it will not last forever.”
Kristy
I want to win!!!!!
Grace
“You can do it!”
katie
Mmm I’d love to win!
Brooke @ Running In Heels
My favorite running mantra is “I’ve never regretted a run” :)
LosingLindy
Looks awesome! I want to win!
Lauren
Those grape sticks sounds awesome!! My mantra (on the treadmill anyways) is “don’t look down!”. Watching the time tick by makes my runs feel so much longer!
Lara
“If it was easy, everyone would do it.”
Liz
I want to be able to skip all of my finals this week!! haha
Katie A
FINAO
Failure is not an option
Laura
I really want to win!
Lisa
I like to remind myself that I am “fearfully and wonderfully made”
Sara
You got this! You got this!
Ellyn
The only thing I say to myself when it gets tough: You can do this!
Kelly
You got this!
Maria
I just pick a point in the distance and focus on that. Once I’ve made it I pick another, and so on ….. Running is 80% mental, isn’t it?!
Caroline
I count each street sign as I go by and just imagine myself getting closer to home!
Karen
For running in general I think to myself – nothing worthwhile comes easily, and for hills I say over and over “I love this hill, this hill makes me stronger”
Natalia
One more step!
Tricia
Mine is “you’ve got this!” and I just heard the Marathon Goddess say it a few times in the Spirit of the Marathon II movie- GREAT movie, by the way! :-) However I am doing my first half ever in late October and “just get through this mile” is going into my quote list!!!!
Erin
Cupcaaaaaaaakes!
Sharon@runforyourlife!!!
Yay!
Christina S
There are fudgy brownies and ice cream waiting for me at home! YUMMY!
Nicole
i wanna win! maybe its my lucky day?? ;)
Callie B.
You can eat your body weight in frozen yogurt when you get home! MMMMMMMMMMM
Michelle D
I channel my inner Dory: Just keep running, just keep running…
Emilee
I want to win! I have never commented on your blog before, but I ALWAYS read it. You are the perfect mix of hard-core athlete, funny friend, and good momma:)
Kristy
Watching Ellen seems like a great way to pass the time while stretching! The giveaway looks delicious.
Monica
Ever since I started training with my BFF and she said she heard somewhere, “discipline or regret?” I now tell myself that multiple times during my run! :)
Melissa
I remind myself of the following: I lost 80 pounds (and have kept it off for a year and counting!), recovered from a stroke I had 2 years ago when I was 24, haven’t had a cigarette since the morning of my stroke, and I’m about to finish my PhD. All of these things make me feel so strong and supercharge my runs, even when I’m struggling!
Rachel
I always pick up a spot and tell myself just to get to that point. Once I get there I feel better.
Kelly Smith
Mantra- “Stay strong”
marci
You have fast strong legs, keep moving.
And Id love to win something )
Yanet
I WANT TO WIN! :)
Megan
Quiet body…strong legs…quiet body…strong legs…
Emily Y
“People run double digit miles in one day, ALL the time…you can certainly do 6, 7, 8, or 9…”
Melissa R
If I’m having a hard time, I pick a point ahead of me and tell myself I just have to get there. After I reach my goal, I pick a new point to reach.
Amy
I hear my son’s former football coach yelling “Want some? Get some!”
Alisa
No mantras… I just want to win something! That nut mix looks amazing.
Donnie
For some reason – even back to high school- my running mantra has been to repeat – “I feel good, I feel strong.”
Julie M
I keep telling myself, just make it to the next stop sign/mailbox/corner or whatever I’m running near. I actually had a pretty rough morning run today. First EARLY morning run of the summer (it was still 85 degrees before the sun came up).
Tracie
I know someone else already said this, but I totally look to Dory from finding Nemo and go with “Just keep swimming.” Ironic actually because I can’t swim well to save my life.
P.S. That backpack is amazing!!
Lauren S
My mantra: you can do anything for x number of minutes.
Amy
My favorite thing to tell myself half way up on a really hard hill is “I’ve already made it, I’m just enjoying the ride.”
Rachel Rinderknecht
This one is very simple, but I am always reminding myself that it is “mind over matter” when I am running. It really helps me to focus and press forward :)
Melissa
One of my favorite Bible verses is Hebrews 12:1
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
angie
Just do it!
Rachel V
This is a popular one, but I love Phil 4:13, “I can do all things [through Christ who strengthens me].
cori maley
Running mantra is “EARN THE DOWNHILL”!!!
Shannon
I’m a dancer, so every performance is like a sprint. I just remind myself that it’s what I love to do, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
Monica
My mantra is: I am strong. I am determined. I can do this.
Christi M
You can do it! Cheesy and simple.
Stephanie
“I should be thankful for my health and ability to even run” or make it to one point which leads to me telling myself to make it another mile and so on!
Renee C
Duh, I totally want to win (who doesn’t want to win?)!!!!
Julie
The goody bag looks fantastic! I want to win!!!
Natalia C.
Keep breathing, you have already done this and you can and WILL do it again! :D
Holly @ Healthy Living Holly
the faster i run, the faster i’m done!
no matter how slow you go, you’re still lapping everyone on the couch!
when your legs get tired, run with your heart!
Julie
My favorite running mantra comes from the Little Engine that Could: “I think I can, I think I can!”
Megan RF
Yum!!
Lora
I run to music so when it gets tough at the beginning of each song I ask myself if I want to run or walk – I choose run 99% of the time – then I tell myself that I have to run the whole song, and then when the song is over, I’ll choose again whether I want to run or walk the next song – I usually can get a lot of miles out that way — and then I don’t spend the whole song thinking about how I want to walk – I just know I’ll have the choice when the song is over :)
Rachel@curious runner girl
‘I am strong and courageous’ – Joshua 1:9
And I would LOVE to win this goodie bag :)
Mackenzie
I always keep telling myself to just keep my feet moving, even if I need to slow down for a block or two!
J
I am a beast-lets go
Tina
“Come on!” “You can do it, you are almost done!”
Thanks for the chance to win!!
Allison
my favorite is: you are strong and you can do this!
Megan
I think my mantra is opposite of yours… I count down how much further I have to go.. Leftover from my track days.. “I just have to pass this spot two more times..” Would make it seem to go faster if I started saying that at the beginning of my second lap…
Also, I totally zone out sometimes and eventually realize I’ve been counting my steps. I’ll be on number 172 before I realize I am counting sometimes!
cathy
Embrace the suck! Ha!
Steph
The faster you run, the faster you’re done!!
ashley
I have a lot of mantras!
My favorite one is a Prefontaine quote: “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” The ability to run is a gift that not all people have, I am grateful for every single mile :)
Kayla
My mantra just happened….and it was a big surprise to me. It’s from Forrest Gump “Dear God, make me a bird so I can fly far, far far away from here.” Over and over again. I LOVE IT. Just complicated enough to not be too cheesy and it has a nice cadence. Love your blog!!
Allison
My fav advice was from my husband when I joined a running group that really pushed me. He said I needed to learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That seemed to keep my focus on the right track because let’s face it, running can be pretty uncomfortable sometimes.
heather rose
Finish this mile…. (and then I get lost and have to finish a few more;))
Meg
I tell myself “You’re never going to regret choosing to run.” and I tell myself I’m so blessed and fortunate to be capable of running let alone walking.
Elena
My running mantra: i want to Run as fast as janae….. But i know this will Never happen…
Anne
Run!
Hilary
Love your blog! My running mantra is “Run Hard, Run Strong” I repeat over and over when I need a boost in a race.
Sonja
I want to win :D and I get pushed by delicious food I want to eat after runs!
Merissa
When Im running I always think about what I am going to eat when I done. O look forward to refeuling my body after a hard or easy workout. Its important!!
Ashley
How about winner winner chicken dinner :)
Kaleigh
“The faster you run, the faster you’re done!”
Jane @ Not Plain So Jane
Especially during half marathons or marathons I like to remind myself that even just being out there running is putting me in a tiny percentage of people who have run those distances. That’s pretty cool to think about!
liz @ sweat-happy.com
I got my first muscle up today!
Leilani
My fav quote…….. Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going!…
Katie
My fave running mantra is “I think I can, I know I can!!!” :)
xo
Kristin
My new favorite mantra is: “get some!” thanks, Jillian Michaels.
KimM
Left foot, right foot and repeat.
My husband tells me that every time I step out the door. :)
Mindy
Is it bad that I think of what treat I will have to get me through tough runs? :)
elizabeth
Today I do what others WON’T, so tomorrow I can do what others CAN’T.
it helps me on those last few miles!