Headgames to Play When Running

This post is brought to you by the makers of MOTRIN®

I don’t love running. I talk, nay, coerce myself through the entire process; from tying up my shoes to putting one foot in front of the other for what always feels like an agonizingly long time. The truth is I’ve never been an athletic person, so running fits the fitness bill for me. Running isn’t a team sport, I only compete against myself, it doesn’t require a huge investment and I can do it anywhere. It also comes with one huge, and noticeable benefit—the sustained high I feel after a run.

After I run, I feel like a warrior. I feel invincible. I am a runner, hear me roar!

The bottom line is, I run for the afterglow, and it’s why I play the most elaborate mental games with myself before and during my run. If running is a mental game, then I’ve got the mental part finely tuned. Here are a few of the things I tell myself or do to push my butt out the door, and keep my feet hitting the pavement.

I Run, Therefore I Donut.

Or pasta, or baguette. Frankly, running is my free pass to carb loading. Runners can do that you know.

Pain is Temporary (and can be managed)

Whenever I fall off the running bandwagon (and believe me, sometimes it’s a long and hard fall), I dust myself off by reminding myself that pain is temporary and that MOTRIN® Platinum Muscle & Body can get me through. MOTRIN® Platinum Muscle & Body contains both a pain reliever (ibuprofen) and a muscle relaxant (methocarbamol), exactly what I want when I start running again, because OUCH! The dual action formula quickly relieves body pain, and relaxes my tense muscles. When combined with stretching, this allows me to run again sooner. Running sooner, means I stay on the bandwagon.

Even Elite Runners Hate the First Kilometer

Whenever I’m huffing and puffing through the first five to ten minutes of a run, I remind myself that even Usain Bolt hates the start of a run. There’s actual scientific evidence to support this theory. So what if I extrapolate that Usain and I are practically separated at birth then? It’s my headgame, I can play it however I want.

I Have No Right Complaining

 Once during a race, I was practically in tears, throwing myself a fine old pity party when a young woman with prosthetic legs jogged past me with a big old smile on her face. There’s a reality check. Now, whenever I feel a little martyrdom coming on, I think about her, about Terry Fox, about Rick Hansen and countless others, and then I give myself a proverbial kick in the behind and keep going.

I Only Have to Run to that Lightpost

Or mailbox. Or to that street sign. Sometimes I tell myself I only have to run ten more steps, and then I tell myself ten more. Whatever that carrot is, I dangle it just far enough that it’s attainable and then push myself through a little further.

Sign Up for a Race

As a goal-oriented individual, I can’t understand the point of running if there’s no end game. I mean, I know there are people out there who run for the “fun” of it, but I can’t relate. I need a goal, something to strive for. That’s why I always have a race to train for—in the summer—because I’m not crazy people.

My next race will be a 5K during the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. This year, I’ll be looking for the MOTRIN® Recovery Zone after the race to sign up for a MOTRIN® Liquid Gel trial offer from them. If you’re there that day, be sure to look for the JamVan and say hello! If you’ve signed up for a race in Ottawa, look for the MOTRIN® Recovery Zone until June 4th post-race to get your free trial offer from them. If you can’t make it out to a race this year, take advantage of this coupon for $3 off MOTRIN® Platinum Muscle & Body.

Tell me what headgames you play to make it through your run?

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