How Running is Changing My Internal Dialogue

Runners have told me that running is therapeutic for them. But each time I run, my instinct is get it done as fast as possible. I never gave myself a chance to enjoy the run itself. During training this year, however, I had so many thoughts running through my head, I swear, it made me run faster (though my Strava app may beg to differ, haha!). One of those days, I decided to vocalize them to Siri and here’s what came out:

Short legs.
Skinny legs.
Strong legs.
Long legs.
Fat legs.

Legs are awesome.

Mine are scarred up. Mostly from tripping, banging my leg up against weights, running, kids (they’re not as visible due to the brightness edit but they’re there.). I’ve never been one to hide them – I’m actually more inclined to cover up scars elsewhere on my body but  not these babies. Nope. I realize now that they are my powerhouse. And what’s on them have become my battle scars. They make me feel empowered. They have taken me through years of training and running even when my mind tells me I can’t. And I’m feeling pretty grateful they have treated me so well.⁣ It took me 8 races (and a few family/kid races) to finally understand that.

I have never found running therapeutic but after each training session this year, I became more enveloped into my thoughts. So much was coming at me all at once. It is difficult for me to even explain now. But I know that my mind is telling me this:

I can think that I can’t do something because my mind tells me so. ⁣But my mind is powerful. So powerful that if it can tell me what I can’t do, it can also tell me that I can.

So I started to use everything I had to change that internal dialogue – I wanted to have fun this run. I wanted to finish it feeling strong and not spent.

And it happened for me. Cliche, I know but it really did. Internal dialogue can change everything. ❤️
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Thank you Chatters Salon for pampering my powerhouse this summer post run.⁣
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Disclosure: I was sent these products by Chatters Salon. All inspirations are my own.