Running is typically not a favorite exercise of CrossFitters. It is no secret that most of us would rather do heavy back squats for an hour than run just about any distance. So, when a workout includes two 1 mile runs, we start to sweat just thinking about it.
Recently, we’ve been talking about the CrossFit Hero Workout Murph. Every Memorial Day, CrossFit gyms in America make a big deal about programming this long workout that consists of running, pullups, pushups, squats, and more running. Murph starts and ends with a 1 mile run, and if the first mile is bad, the second mile is dreaded. However, if we think about as mind over matter, we can approach the second run with a little more confidence.
Everything Will Be OK!
First, tell yourself everything will be ok. Running isn’t complicated. Put one foot in front of the other over and over again until you finish. Know that you will finish, it’s just a matter of how long it will take. Prepare yourself to settle in to your reality, put your head down, and run.
A Running Mantra
Second, try a running mantra. A mantra is a phrase you repeat to refocus on a task at hand. Buddhists use mantras like prayers to refocus on their breathing and recenter themselves throughout the day. Similarly, runners can use mantras to refocus their mind in the middle of a long run. The monotony on running can leave you with nothing to focus on but your breathing and burning legs. Thus, a mantra gives you something else to think about.
Your mantra is completely unique to you. Write down a sentence that motivates you to keep going. It could be as simple as, “You can do this, keep moving.” You may also try something that rhymes like, “Looking good, feeling good.” The goal is to give you a motivating sentence to repeat again and again when the going gets tough.
Remember, you can do this. You will finish. Refocus and keep moving forward.
