One thing that I have learned since I started running, is that it is just as much a mental game as it is a physical one.  When I described in a previous post about those days where I would struggle to complete my workout compared to the days where my workout was a breeze, I didn’t realize what the differences between those days were.  I had thought it had to do with my physical ability and possibly soreness from previous workouts.  My new experiences have shown me something completely different.

I still have the days where I struggle to run.  I now know that the reason why is that I am not mentally in the game.  In order for my runs to be “easy” and “a breeze“, I have to be in the right frame of mind, otherwise my eyes are glued to the timer on the treadmill and I am miserable. 

One post that really helped me come up with some mental strategies for staying in the game, is Thankful for 13.2 Miles of Road, from Workout Mommy.  In it she discusses the importance of staying positive during the run and having a list of things to think about for each mile:

Since running is mostly a mental game, I came up with a list of things I will think about during all of those miles. I figure if I can keep my mind occupied with positive thoughts then I won’t even have time to think anything negative.

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