While on the phone with my brother Thursday, we were talking about running and training and it’s difficulties. He said he had just heard a great quote from Scott Jurek (I’m paraphrasing here) “Training is 90 percent mental, that other 10 percent is mental too.” This is all I thought about all day yesterday after I did an hour long work out in the morning and then decided I wanted to get my hour and half run in after work.

 

“Running is an evil mental game and I’m just now learning the rules.” –Sloan, cerca 2009                     while training for the Grand Rapids Riverbank 25k.

 

I’ve known that running is mental ever since I started, and I didn’t start until I was about 19.  I always hear people saying “The hardest part is getting your shoes on…” blah blah blah, that’s not inspiring at all! Though it is true, I need to know and remember that feeling I get after a great run. That memory is usually enough to get me moving.

But knowing that a run is a percent mental, the idea that if I can or can’t do it is with my attitude makes training/racing/just getting the hell out the front door way easier. And then once I’m out the front door you better believe I’m not going back until that run is finished because all I’m thinking about is how pissed I’m going to be if I turn around and go home. How unsatisfying my shower is going to feel, how my meal isn’t going to taste quite as good as it would if I’d gone the distance I had first wanted to go.

 

Basically, what I’m saying is get your booty outside, on the treadmill, in the pool, wherever you find peace with your body and finish the work out. I promise you will feel no worse off for it.

 

…and enjoy it. You know you will!