I have a new mantra - do you have one?

[Oldgirl]

I bought new id tags and had it printed on them too. 'Live to run, run to live' it seemed to sum up how i feel about my running. What's yours ?

[runningnotwalking Graduate]

The only way is C25K ?

[Ballymoneypenny]

Don't Stop Believing (One of my favourite songs by Journey and the one that kicks me up the bum to keep going when I feel I can't go on...sometimes I even sing along much to the bemusement of passing motorists)

[nomoresloth Graduate]

If I can do it anyone can!

[pingle Graduate]

I still tell myself 'I'm a Kenyan in the inside' when the going gets tough. It always makes me laugh as I look so unlike a Kenyan on the outside but maybe I can channel a little bit of their running brilliance!

[Be11adonna Graduate in reply to pingle]

I also like to imagine I'm a Kenyan! Hey, whatever gets the job done

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to pingle]

Haha I love that pingle, if only I could run half as fast as many Kenyan runners

[ju-ju- Graduate]

I love your mantra!! Mine when I'm running ( taken from when I swim'is 'just keep running, just keep running' to the nemo tune ( just keep swimming, just keep swimming' bit daft but it works when it gets tough!!

[Hidden in reply to ju-ju-]

..... Makes you sound like Dorie..... Ours are the segulls ....

Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine mine,

[ju-ju- Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I so love those seagulls.... They know what they want at least!! How sad we know it so well

[Hidden in reply to ju-ju-]

Do you realise we are swimming in our own ......

[Anniemurph Graduate]

Um... mine is 'I'm a gazelle, I'm a gazelle, I'm a gazelle' because until I see myself in a shop window I am convinced I bound along in a serene, cool manner

[SVR28 in reply to Anniemurph]

Love that!

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to SVR28]

It works for me, what more can I say

[Fletchasketch Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

Anniemurph I have stolen this and use it to get me through tough bits - I am convinced it genuinely improves my posture when I think it, and does make me a bit less thundering wildebeest, a bit more gazelle

[Anniemurph Graduate in reply to Fletchasketch]

I'm pleased - I hope it works for you! There's a bit in Stepping Stones where Laufa, bless 'er, talks about running quickly and lightly, and every time I try and think, 'I'm a gazelle'

Annie x

[nettyk]

"you can do it baby-doll" ha, ha, ha...

I used to think derogatory thoughts about myself when I was struggling, but I decided that that was no good to anyone! I now picture myself in a bikini, and that most definitely spurs me on

[Jany]

"Uuuuuuuuuughhhhhh, uuuuuuuuggghhhhhh, oh god it hurts... make it stop. It won't end... WHY WON'T IT END?!!!!! Oooh, I like her running shorts...." tends to be what goes round and round in my head. I'm not sure it's a mantra. I should work on one.

[Be11adonna Graduate in reply to Jany]

Hah, sounds very familiar Jany! My thoughts include all of the above and sometimes a "My goodness, she must be double my age and she's running faster!" Embarrassment motivates me it seems, at least temporarily!

[Plinth Graduate in reply to Jany]

That's mine too! Occasionally punctuated with "look what Eddie Izzard did" to keep me going!

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to Jany]

Haha thats funny, like the bit about 'I like her running shorts'

[serenlas Graduate]

Lol Jany - that sounds like mine. I just tend to finish with 'oh come on, it's only putting one foot in front of the other and you managed it ok 2 days ago'.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Someone said to me this morning at my Zumba class "Haven't you got lovely slim legs, just like a runner" to which I replied, "Thats because I am a runner" Its a shame the rest of me is not so slim, maybe one day

[sassa Graduate]

I hear Laura's voice in my head: "You can do this. You can definitely do this"

Alternating with: you did it on ...insert day of last run..... so you can do it today.

[Hidden]

Not quite a running mantra but its good for wine or beer bottles...

If its open, we don't sleep til its empty.....

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Aaaahh you could apply that to running no bother 'If the DOOR is open, we don't stop running until the tank is empty' meaning energy all spent Like that one

[Malcy Graduate]

Spencer Davies Group - "Keep On Running”

Lindisfarne - ”Run For Home"

Or Malcy - "Flippin' Heck - how much longer till I get to stop?"

[Plinth Graduate]

Today it was "better slow run than no run!" Had to tell myself that as was really struggling.

[ktaylor217 Graduate]

I CAN and I WILL!

I can and I f***ing will (used if things are getting really bad)

[Soozz Graduate]

The old 'I think I can, I know I can!' or 'I can do this, I CAN do this, I can DO this, I can do THIS' sometimes for going up what I call hills and what everyone else probably calls an incline.