Monday, February 27, 2012

Inspire: Running motivational fuel + fire

feb2012_N0007 We just started a new series over at dailymile called Fuel + Fire. Last year, nearly 400 community dailymission submissions answered: What's your favorite motivational quote?

See the results in Mind Over Matter and Just Do It. Another post, Valentines: Don’t go breaking *your* heart, is an update on one I did here last year.

FYI: Expect more writing from me over at dailymile this year. While my 2011 team ambassadorship is soon over, happily, I'll continue as a weekly contributor. Look for my posts on Wednesdays.

In educational interest, article(s) may be quoted from extensively.


Intro from Mind Over Matter:
When I started up casual jogging in my 20s, I was surprised how hard it was to run more than a couple of miles at a time. When I wanted to increase my distance, my body balked and screamed, "I'm tired and cranky! My [insert various body part] hurts!" Mentioning this to a girlfriend (a steady runner),  she suggested, "When you think you can't run anymore, just keep going..." Can it really be that easy?

I gave it a try. And, wonders, it worked.

Even though I wasn't (nor wanted) to be a hardcore racer, I gradually increased my long runs from three to six miles using her mind over matter advice. Now, well into my 40s, my longest runs are in the double-digits, and I've got a few 20Ks and half-marathons under my fuel belt, too. While the marathon hasn't been a goal of mine (yet...it's on my bucket list), I'm amazed at what I can do when I tell myself to just keep going.

Last year, when we asked what your favorite motivational quotes were, Bill R. shared what George S. Patton, a U.S. Army General and 1912 Olympian, said on the matter:
If you are going to win, you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired. When you were younger the mind could make you dance all night, and the body was never tired. You've always got to make the mind take over and keep going.

Read the rest.

And a taste of Just Do It:

Last year, we sought out your favorite motivational quotes. This year, we’ve distilled the wisdom of that dailymile pool of 398 respondents. Here, the first dose in our Fuel + Fire series, finds our ragin’ sages coaxing you to get your butt in gear.

It’s been well over 30 days since the turn of the New Year. Are you keeping your resolutions? Weeks ago, did you say you wanted to start running? Or lifting weights? Or maybe you thought you’d increase your mileage or train at a higher intensity?

Well, if you threw yourself into it, onto the floor (or the road or the trail or the track) this past month, you should be the owner of a shiny new habit by now. Way to go!

Maybe, like me, you just wanted to be more consistent.

What’s that? You flubbed the mission fully (or partly, like me…ack!) and find yourself no closer to the mark than you were yesterday or last month or last year?

Sniffle. Sniffle. Boo hoo.

Now you’ve done it. Or, rather…you really haven’t done it, have you?!

Well, wipe that misty mug of yours and get your brave face on, because the dailymile community (YOUR community, remember?) is gunning to give you some advice. What’s the first step? Maybe a little hand-holding? “Hold on, lemme roll up my sleeve…,” growls Ultratrailchick as she pushes past you to start her run.

Hey, are you takin’ notes? Because it’s ON.

Read the rest.

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