What’s Your Mantra?

Running mantras are inspiring short phrases that can be repeated while running to remind us of why we run and why we should keep going!

So much of running is mental: getting up for that early morning run, climbing that terrible hill or pushing to the end of a hard race. Running mantras help keep your mind strong. Repeat them when your legs don’t feel as strong and you need that boost of confidence, strength and inspiration.

I mainly use three mantras and all three have different meanings for me:

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

The story: Soon after I started running I had signed up for the Gasparilla half marathon but was experiencing some nasty shin pain. I went ahead with the race and repeated the mantra over and over as I pushed through cold rain and mind shin pain for 13.1 miles.

What it means to me: The finish line doesn’t move because I’m tired, cold or hungry. It’s up to me to determine how I feel during the distance to that finish line.

You only have one chance to do this!

The story: I was sick and the weather was terrible but somehow I found myself running outside with Richard’s triathlete uncle, Matt. I told him how much I despised hills so he took me along the hilliest, most torturous route possible through Brevard, North Carolina. We approached a hill that looked like it reached the sky. I ran part way and started to stop, complaining that it hurt. He said, “come on, you only have one chance to do this!”

What it means to me: What he said changed everything for me. I’ve always viewed hills and other uncomfortable challenges as roadblocks, always wondering how I can avoid them or quit halfway. But now I see them as awesome challenges: I only have one chance and how I respond to that chance matters.

I’m doing this because I can.

The story: I’ll admit it- I used to take running for granted. That is until I spent months not walking, hardly moving and certainly not running. For three months I watched friends celebrate big and small successes in running and I yearned for my own. Once I gained run clearance I began to appreciate being able to run.

What it means to me: The ability to run means that most things in our bodies are working correctly. That’s something to celebrate because at any time it could change.

I’d love to read your mantras in the comments! What’s your mantra and what does it mean to you?

Tagged as: runnng