WWNPP – The Two Ps

I know you've been patiently waiting to hear about the two Ps, so we’ll get right to it.

The First P = Pen

I know – a bit of a let down, but the next P is much more interesting. The pen, of course, is so that you can write everything in your Notebook . I have a personal preference for black pens. I DON’T like switching colors. It annoys me. Unless I have a really special day…then I use a purple pen.

The Second P = Positive Attitude

This might just be the most important letter of the bunch. Let’s be real for a minute: running hurts. There are a bazillion reasons to slow down, start walking, or stop altogether when it gets tough. There are also a bazillion reasons not to do those things.

I first read ‘An Elite State of Mind’ when it was posted on The Hungry Runner Girl in March and I really liked it. I went back and revisited it this week and it still resonates. It discusses how runners are always trying to emulate the training methods of elite runners and how we should emulate their attitudes about running as well.

The author says that there are 4 Keys to an Elite Attitude. Numbers 1 & 3 are key for me as I get back into the running routine. Last summer I finally broke 22 minutes for my 5K and I was so excited. I ran my second timed 5K in over 9 months last week at a 29:56 (the first was back in May and I was a 30:29). I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty bummed at first. Then I reminded myself that I just had a 33 second PR from earlier this year and that I would get another PR on the next run….and I did. On Monday I ran a 29:01…and I was happy (and totally would have gotten that last second if I hadn't gotten stopped by a car)!

The next time you start feeling down about your run or your time, remember this quote from Kara Goucher, "That's the thing about running: your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing successes. They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is."

Did you miss the last three posts in this series? You can check out Water, Watch, and Notebook by clicking the links.

What is your favorite motivational running quote?