As you know from my first post, I’m currently training for the Half Marathon on the Sunshine Coast. Every Saturday we do a scheduled run which is our longest distance for the week. I personally know that after a long week, it sometimes can be hard to get yourself out of bed on a Saturday, especially when it’s freezing and raining outside and I know how easy it can be to talk yourself out of it but for some reason I still get up and do it. I think with running you either love it or hate it. For me it’s the latter especially if it’s long distance running…. I’ve always favoured sprinting and high intensity exercise over a long run. So let me share with you why I still get up on a Saturday morning and keep motivated to do my long runs…
1. Exercise on Saturday (best way to start the weekend) and boom… exercise is done for the weekend!
2.That word again… Endorphins or what we call the runners high! I believe that running outdoors is a positive and refreshing feeling and helps release endorphins which makes us feel super positive and happy 
3. Satisfaction- that I beat those negative thoughts out of my head and I made it the whole distance. I overcame the negative thought I had before the run and makes me feel as though I’ve trained the mind and stuck it out with will power.
4. The more distance I cover and the harder the course I run, the more confident I feel. I have tackled more obstacles and that nothing can stop me. I actually feel empowered and mentally stronger.
5. Diversity. Change the course each Saturday so you do not get bored and that it feels like a new journey for both the mind and body.
6. Great stress reliever. Have time to resolve some problems in your head without the usual distractions or you can use the run to escape and clear the mind
7. Believe it or not, once you start running and endorphins are flowing, you can go into a happy and type of meditative state. The mind is a Powerful tool.
The hardest part is starting the exercise but once you’ve been doing it for a few minutes you forget about those thoughts and keep going. If you tell yourself you can’t than you won’t so instead why don’t you tell yourself you can and will!. Most people run for physical benefits which is great but it also greatly beneficial for the mind and the brain. So you see it’s not just a physical thing… it’s mental too.
3. Satisfaction- that I beat those negative thoughts out of my head and I made it the whole distance. I overcame the negative thought I had before the run and makes me feel as though I’ve trained the mind and stuck it out with will power.
4. The more distance I cover and the harder the course I run, the more confident I feel. I have tackled more obstacles and that nothing can stop me. I actually feel empowered and mentally stronger.
5. Diversity. Change the course each Saturday so you do not get bored and that it feels like a new journey for both the mind and body.
6. Great stress reliever. Have time to resolve some problems in your head without the usual distractions or you can use the run to escape and clear the mind
7. Believe it or not, once you start running and endorphins are flowing, you can go into a happy and type of meditative state. The mind is a Powerful tool.
The hardest part is starting the exercise but once you’ve been doing it for a few minutes you forget about those thoughts and keep going. If you tell yourself you can’t than you won’t so instead why don’t you tell yourself you can and will!. Most people run for physical benefits which is great but it also greatly beneficial for the mind and the brain. So you see it’s not just a physical thing… it’s mental too.