My New Mantra

As most of you know by now, I'm training for the Cherry Blossom 10 mile run on April 5. That's 2-weeks away and my training is going pretty well! I have had some set-backs but I am honestly quite proud of myself.

So far in my journey, I have realized that I used to sell myself short when it came to running. When I described my running goals and new hobby, I would usually preface it by saying, "Oh but I'm not a runner!" That soon sparked a running question in my head:

What makes someone a runner?

Am I a runner? Can I use that word to define myself when I barely can run a 10-minute/mile pace?

A couple weeks ago, my training required me to complete long runs. Runs that I never thought I could do. Runs that, when looking ahead in my training schedule, I thought "Hmm... that's where I'll struggle." My first long run (from my perspective, this is different for everyone!) was 60-minutes long. The first part of the run, I was thinking "Wow, just think of the blog post you will write when you complete this!" Then I thought, "You probably won't complete this so don't have too high expectations."

I kept saying those things to myself and therefore I didn't have faith in my abilities. I realized right then and there that by talking like that made me not a runner. It was then that I decided:

"I am a runner."

I said that phrase over and over in my head and I successfully finished that long run last weekend in the rain. It was glorious and I cried so many tears of happiness.

That quickly became my new mantra. "I am a runner." There will be no more excuses for myself and even if I don't complete the run the way I want to on any given day, that's fine. As a runner, I will get back out there the next day and try again. I will no longer give up.

A few days later, I completed my second long run: 70-minutes.

"I am a runner."

"I am a runner."

I am a runner!