Long Run Motivation - How Gratitude Can Make You Run Better

Running is a form of practiced stoicism. It means teaching your brain and body to be biomechanically comfortable in a state of disrepair.

Connect to your why.

We are much more willing to tolerate discomfort when we know that doing so is tied to a meaningful purpose or long-term goal. As you warm up, bring to mind the big goal you are currently working on (maybe that sub-4 marathon) and why that goal is meaningful to you. Be specific. Doing this as you ease into the run will set the st

Gratitude can be a powerful antidote to feeling stuck on the hedonic treadmill. Paying attention to what you are experiencing in the moment, and savoring the enjoyment of a specific experience beyond its outcome, can attach meaning to different aspects of an activity. Rather than trying to exceed 20 miles on a four-hour trail run, refusing to “wast

one with joy as the goal. This approach does not mean you have to sacrifice the challenge of competing or running as fast as you can. It turns out that, despite what some Pinterest image of “no pain, no gain” will tell you, easing out of the pain cave just a little can leave you in a beautiful place where you get to push yourself but also revel in