RUN 42

I've always thought that running is 50% physical strength and 50% mental strength, at least in my experience. I've proved this to myself on many runs; training, for fun, and when racing. My first race of 2009 is a perfect example, a snow and ice storm came through Chicago the morning of the race turning the road into slush and my feet into ice... i ran a personal best that morning. Mustering up the resolve to face the challenge is something that really appeals to me, and elevates a successful run to an even more satisfying level. Mental strength needs training just as much as form, cadence and muscle strength. Sometimes I'll let my mind wander when a run starts getting tough, I'll place a word like 'strength' or 'power' in my mind and let it conjure up images randomly that reflect those words... all kinds of images crop up; the hulk, the space shuttle, volcanoes, ... focusing on the imagery helps me more than talking myself up, which i know a lot of other runners do. Sometimes i run past this old mill, i noticed the wheel today as the water was faster flowing than Ive noticed before... the power of the water and the eternal rotating of the wheel seemed like a perfect image to hold in my mind. The water never stops flowing and the wheel keeps a steady pace as it turns and turns. Anything is possible i think if you really put your body and mind to it.

RUN 41

I've always thought of my running as a very personal private endeavor, free of distraction and confusions of the day. The same is true when racing, even if it's with 40,000 other people; I've only ever trained with one person and I've never joined a training team. That's all because of the pleasure I get from pushing myself, testing my determination to succeed. I realize though that whether I like it or not I'm part of a wider community of runners who are just like me, with many of the same goals, successes and failures... By the midpoint of toady's run I was completely alone running out into the lake on a jetty, by the end I was sprinting the final mile, when a cyclist who looked more like a runner rode by and shouted out encouragement saying "great pace dude!!!"

RUN 40

It's all too easy to think of fitness as an optional part of life, we're made to feel it's a chore, motivated by guilt and sidelined by the pressures of modern life we create around ourselves. We each have one body to live our lives with, to live out our dreams, to give our all to those we love. It's up to us to choose what we value and expect of ourselves, as easy as it may seem for some people, it's simply a path that traveled one step at a time, regardless of pace.

RUN 39

Sunday morning recovery runs feel simply amazing. Regardless of your training schedule or goals, the weeks runs have likely culminated in a tougher Saturday long run, and Sunday morning is just for you; it doesn't matter how long, fast or slow you go, it's all for you, a reward you can savor and enjoy, soak up the world around you and breathe a sigh before the next week begins. The sense of accomplishment multiplies the feeling of contentment many times over.

RUN 38

One persons obsession is another persons dedication. Any runner will tell you running can be easy and peaceful or it can be excruciatingly painful. It doesn't matter what level you're running at or what the distance, by varying the level of effort input you can change the
experience entirely. That's not to say the latter is worse, it may be at the time; especially if running on an 80F+ day at noon, the reward simply increases with the effort. So why bother? If you're a 2m a day runner, why go for 4 or 6? The answer is at the end of that run.

RUN 37

Every run begins with a single step, and they get longer step by step, remembering this simple fact is the most effective motivator for me; each step is followed by another and that's how progress is made.

RUN 36

The moments of life spent running are among the simplest. Stripped of complexity and confusion and emotion. They are rewarding in the the most raw sense, and I treasure every one for what they give me as a person and what they allow me to give those I love and care for.

RUN 35

Sometimes you just need to run away. Running gives the mind the opportunity to escape, recharge and get perspective, before returning to life with renewed enthusiasm and positivity.

RUN 34

There's always someone fitter and faster than you are; maybe ever will be. How we process those interactions can have either a positive or negative affect. You yourself will likewise always be fitter and faster than a number of other people. However we all have our own particular goals and lifestyles, it's futile then to compare ourselves to others, as it does nothing except to distract us from achieving our own goals.

RUN 33

Running has taught me the meaning of 'dedication' but also the rewards of dedicating yourself to something. It doesn't matter what it is, your fitness, your intellect, your family, your career, the happiness of others less fortunate, dedication in the face of adversity, your partner in life or your life goals. Dedication repays effort many times over, and the satisfaction gained from those efforts has no substitute. Dedication is impressive and inspiring; I'm inspired by my wife, and many of my friends and family too who do so much for others and to improve themselves, whether they realize they're doing it, or not.