Good Morning everyone 
Here I am, the Corner door is open and there is a warm welcome waiting for everyone.
Smoothies are ready, as is the coffee and this week, a lovely selection of teas ! Fresh croissants and some rather tasty muffins , just help yourself.
Grab a snack, find a cushion and just rest awhile.
It has been, for many of us, an interesting week weather wise; a bit of everything. We have had wind, and rain, heat and humidity... and a spell of chilly, for good measure.
This morning, here, grey skies and torrential rain.... I feel my Sunday fun-day, run day is on hold.
For me, I am able to put my run aside...I have the choice, but for many of us, working and with terrifically busy lifestyles, getting the runs in is hugely important and not getting the run done can prey on the mind.
That got me thinking... again! Oh blimey!
Reading your posts this last week, I have, as ever, been inspired by your running posts.
Forum friends on all stages of their running; Newbies, just beginning the programme, folk well on the way, folk just running that last kilometer towards the finish line and the Graduation podium. There is too, as usual , a fair few returners.. some, who have had to stop running through injury, but some too, who have found the whole thing tricky, mainly because of what was going on, in their head!
There is much said about running, and the way we do it. Loads of advice for our running body, but maybe a little less obvious, advice for our mindset.
Okay... scrolling around and reading up a bit, I found much food for thought.
So... how?
Well, to get into the mind set for running, there appears to be a few common denominators, and the same words, crop up over and over again.
Achievable: targets, goals, finish lines
Confidence: Knowing we will succeed, trusting the plan.
Positivity: Self talk, mantras, and a clear view of where we are going.
Self Care: Exercise routines, simple and easy to maintain, breathing techniques, warm up and cool down, stretches and strength and stamina work,
Importantly too:
Enjoyment. Doing it for pleasure.
I could break all these points down, but it would take a while! Some are self explanatory...easy to understand but not always easy to do.
There is a well known saying...“One of the beautiful things about running is that it is direct and elegant. The formula is simple: put one foot in front of the other.
Bernd Heinrich.
Oh gosh... if it was, truly, only that easy!
Maybe then, take a look around, read other folks posts on the forums, link on to those posts about mind sets and running. Look at some of the mantras other folk employ... mine is infamous on the forums, slow and steady, and I do not always use it just for running!
Maybe if you don't have one... find one ... one that works for you...
I feel too, that for me as I have read around, some of the most meaningful advice, is that of visualisation; everything you have done so far, all you have achieved, and, (not just in running), that you WILL do this...and you will succeed.
Also, and this again, is a pet comment of mine. Enjoy. If you are not enjoying, everything is going to feel so, so much harder... really, it is.
Enjoyment, not endurance, pain not pleasure, delight and not dread.
Gosh, I have used a whole load of my favourite quotes today! I only need this one to round it, all up...
“" Believe You Can and You're Halfway There." - Theodore Roosevelt I will leave you with one last thought...
Simple, maybe not. True? Absolutely !
Okay... people. Your turn now... what is going on in your head? ( Sensible answers only, I feel I may be the only one with weird thoughts).
What, currently, is your mind set in your running?.
Calmness, confidence or chaos?
Are you looking forward to your runs, or just wanting to do them and get them over with? Have you got a mantra, if so, how and when do you use it?
I cannot wait to see who pops in and I know that I, and others will be really interested in your replies... I will leave you with one last quotation, that we see many times, not sure of its actual origination but,
“Physical Strength will get you to the start line, but mental strength will get you to the finish line.”
That is a good one !
Oldfloss x
PS
My mind set currently.... honestly? Well it is not brilliant... but I am working on that.. and more importantly, hard though it may be, I do KNOW that I will get back to where I wish to be x
