This week’s edition of “Diary of a Running Chick” challenges you to let your run frustration go! Running is so simple. Let’s keep it that way. I’m a running chick and this is my diary.
It doesn’t matter if you’re “good” at running or not. You only need a pair of shoes and something comfortable to run in and you’re good to go. That’s it! Your run should be completely freeing, but so many of us build up this frustration when it comes to running. Time to be honest and admit to yourself that you do this. Then leave all that frustration behind.
It took me a long time to realize that I actually had run frustration. Even though I was running just for me and no one else; even though I wasn’t running for time and I don’t run races, I had expectations for myself. It was silly. If I was truly running for me, then there was nothing to be frustrated about. But I did get frustrated and did have expectations. I had to conquer them.
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Why was I getting so frustrated? I had been running for a long time, shouldn’t I have been past that frustration? All I really wanted was to run effortlessly. Kids, I was totally putting too much pressure on myself. I’d run on the treadmill for so long and then when I transitioned outside, it was hard. My body had to get used to it and it took a long time. That was hard for me to take in. Even now there are days where I’m so sore from running, days that are super hard, but I don’t let myself get frustrated!
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Let’s flashback to when I consistently started running outside. Five years ago I got serious about it. The treadmill was frustrating me and I’d moved to the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood. It is truly a runner’s paradise. There are so many streets to run through. I’m close to Santa Monica and if I could build myself up, I could run to the beach and back. Brentwood is very hilly though. That was the one thing I didn’t do on the treadmill, hills. My hill training had been nonexistent since high school, so I had work to do.
Running outside completely frustrated me at first, but I was determined to do it. I was determined to be able to just run. I didn’t want it to matter if I was running up hill or down hill. I didn’t want to wake up and question whether I actually wanted to go outside and run. I wanted to embrace this amazing place I live and go run regardless of how I felt.
Being able to let go of the frustration was all mental for me. I knew that I had to stop letting it affect me. If I truly was going to be a runner, I had to just run. I couldn’t worry about times. I couldn’t worry about the terrain. I had to just get up, put my sneakers on, and go run.
I started by not being so hard on myself. If I had to walk, I’d stop and walk. But once I left my house, I wasn’t going to turn around early and go back. I decided where I was going to run to and I decided where my stopping point was, since I run a loop. The more days I ran, the less I stopped. The more days I ran, the more I extended my end point. The more days I ran, the longer and farther I would run. Sure, I have days where I need to take off and give my body a rest, but that doesn’t matter. Its a good thing and I still wake up the next day and run.
The funny thing is, I can’t even tell you when I stopped being frustrated. It just happened. One day I was running and realized that I’d hit my goal. I was running. I didn’t need or want to stop. All I wanted to do was run. Every morning I wake up feeling the same way. Even if I have a day where I might want to sleep in, I always ask myself if I would miss running. My answer is always yes!
I’m so glad I let my run frustration go! I was just in my own way and that’s silly. Are you finding your runs difficult or frustrating? Comment below and vent or ask questions. I’m here to help!
Mandi Mellen is Lead Editor, Staff Writer, and Featured Vlogger at BuzzChomp. She’s an actress, writer, and producer. Get lost in her youtube comedy channel PillowTalk TV. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Instagram
Photo Credit: www.tweakiz.com
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