There will be no race recaps this Spring

The coronavirus is on the loose! While there are much more serious things than having a race cancelled, it is something that runners around the world have been anxious about as events they have trained months for drew nearer. This is usually the first big month of the spring race season but major events have been cancelled all over and it seems I hear of a new one every day! First off these are certainly the right decisions and I was not surprised when my race joined the ever growing list of cancellations. That does not mean I was not tremendously disappointed and yes, I cried!

I cried because I am exhausted and just had the rug swept out from under me! Runners train for typically around 3 month for one single day - ONE. SINGLE, DAY! All the training miles, all the early mornings, all the mentally preparation, all the decisions not go out or not have the french fries or beer take their toll on the body and mind. Runners believe it is all worth it so you could say we have tunnel vision but when that light at the end is gone, then what?! For me, I cried! I felt a little selfish but I let myself boohoo. It helped me move on and after attending my own pity party for a bit I felt better.

Lots of races have set new dates for this fall and I hope participants will still be able to enjoy their victory lap. I am getting deferrels for Wilmington Marathon and Craft Beer Half for 2021 so don't see a road race in my near future. I will continue to run but think will switch gears and head to the trails as soon as possible to hopefully get lost {in thought} in the woods or on a mountain side.

Positivity is a Super Power

Studies show that positive self talk can actually IMPROVE your overall health and performance! Think about how you talk to someone you love. How you describe, encourage, cheer for, brag on and celebrate those people. Now speak to yourself like that!

If you're a running nerd like me, I want to recommend Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor. I am about half way through the book and while it is nothing profound I am enjoying it. I picked it up from my local library because was looking for ways to "up my running game" and mentality (i.e. battling self doubt) is super-high on the list. So many factors are out of your control, (that awful Boston weather in 2018!) but this is entirely up to me.

Running a marathon is an accomplishment, even for a talented Olympian like Deena. But it takes more than training and good nutrition. It take support and what she discusses is the mental aspect of achieving difficult goals. I have found myself attempting to adopt her mental shifts in all aspects of life though. Instead of "I have to..." a simple word swap changes the mood entirely. Try "I get to...". You are now entering the activity with a lighter heart.

Pictured left to right is the order of my running related reads from my current read, the book already awaiting me on the nightstand and then next on my radar. (I've also got to fit in time to finish reading the latest Land of Stories which is a favorite series of Addie's she has read more then once. She was insistent I read them and it has been fun to support her love of reading in this way.)

What are you reading? Please share your recommendations!