The Three Ms to Motivation for Marine Corps - Mantras, Music, & Mecnhes

Did you really think this post would be about anything other than MCM?  Seriously, do you really believe I have anything better to talk about?  If you thought this, I am sorry to disappoint you, but this post will, of course, continue to be about MCM.  Sorry all, maybe I just might work in a giveaway tomorrow to ease the pain.  Speaking of which I am still waiting for my third giveaway winner's info please.  Quinnys Mom where are you?

Ok, so lets get down to it.  Mantras, Music, & Menches these are the three Ms that got me through Marine Corps and out the other side - I guess I could add a fourth - cute Marines never ever hurt.  Before I ran the race, I asked you all for some good mantras, I added some of my own and here are a few that worked for me...

Mantras for MCM

1)  Heads up, take it all in, when the going gets tough clear your head, and go back to the basics because running is just putting one foot in front of the other.
2)  It is your day, you are a marathoner!
3)  I am not talking to you.  Sounds like a weird one right? But it worked.  Every time something hurt, I just said stop talking to me ankle (or whatever) and I am not talking to you right now, because today is MY day and I won't talk back.
4)  You will not walk. You may crawl, but you will crawl before you walk.
5)  And probably one of my favorites - just get over this bridge and then glory - everyone will be cheering for you, and there will be bloggers. Liz said this on the bridge to me and it just did it for me.  I kept it with me the whole rest of the race and it kept me going.

Ok? So was that it? Nope, music & menches did it too.  As I mentioned last weekend, I was dedicating miles to people.  I ended writing peoples' names on a long piece of masking tape and putting it on my long sleeve shirt. It worked great.  I did not always use it specifically, but when I struggled I went right to it and it worked like a charm. I imagined these people, their strength, struggle, and what they have done for me and it was like a shot of adrenaline.   Then to add fuel to the fire I paired the music to the people.  It took forever, but it was well worth it!  When songs came on, I thought of my friends and family and powered on.  I also rocked out.  Why not dance and run a bit?  We are running a marathon here, lets have a little fun!

And what a dance party it was!  To make things even better I was only a half of a song off with my playlist.  I hate hate when I make a playlist and it ends and starts over while I am still running a race.  It is soo defeating!  I usually add extra songs to prevent this.  Aaron had suggested looping the last 6 miles worth of songs instead because that was my really good pump up music.  I meant to do this, but I forgot, of course.  But in the end, it all worked out!  To start the music was a mile off, but ultimately it all evened out and I was only one song off.  During the last few minutes of the race, the first song came on again and since I started the iPod before I crossed the starting line, it meant I had it pretty much perfectly right = success!!!

     

Thats about all for now.  Have you ever dedicated miles?  Do you obsess over your iPod playlist?  Do you mind when it starts over?

Motivational Mantras & Mensches for Marine Corps Marathon!

As we all know, while marathons are somewhat about the physical (you know just somewhat), a lot of it is about the mental game.  How can you keep your head in the game when the going gets tough?  There are some days when it just seems impossible, where you try and dig deep but can't find anything.  It seems like those days when you need to have your mental game the most that it is nowhere to be found.  And there are other days where it is so hard or hurts so good but you can muster those favorite mantras and power it to bring it home.  To me, it seems like a fine line, sometimes I have the energy to push through and stay motivated and positive and sometimes I just don't have the fight within me.  On those days, when I don't have the fight within me, I need these sayings or mantras & mensches the most.  It is these things that really get me through, and on Sunday they will push me as a demolish the WALL.

So let's start with the latter.  What is a mensch?  A mensch is a Yiddish meaning a person of integrity and honor.  So what does this have to do with marathons?  For me, I run with mensches all the time. Yes, they are my running partners.  But they are also people that are not running with me.  They are my mother, mother-in-law, my husband, my coach.  When the going gets tough, I imagine these people.  I know that they will get me through.  I think of everything they have taught me and given to me, I imagine them with me, looking over my shoulder and guiding me, pushing me, and moving me along.  It is these people that see me through.

For the marathon, I will take strength and courage from them.  For each mile, I will dedicate a mile to one of these people.  When things get tough, I will remember that they are with me, that I am running for them, with them, and because of them.  I plan to write their names on the top of my visor, so I don't forget them and so they can continue to look over me, as they always have.  As weird as this may sounds each of the miles chosen for these people has much meaning to me and are strategically placed to help me at the right times.  I plan on dedicating miles to many people (not listing all here) but some include my parents, grandparents, sibling, my mother-in-law, Aaron (of course, who offered that I could dedicate the entire last 6.2 to him, but he decided it was a cop-out), some of my amazing running friends - Erin, Liz, Robin, Colleen, Lindsay, and Samantha (yes you get your own miles), and Mali & Talia (Stephen came along too, hehe, of course he is included!).  Also, I am dedicating some miles to people who would love to but can't run :( I will run for them.

So what else will get me through?  Mantras!  You have to have mantras, right?  Throughout this training process, I have come up with a few of my own and have borrowed some from others, they include

1) Dig Deep
2) Never Give Up, Never Surrender
3) Stephanator!
4) Don't Deny Your Awesomeness
5) "Pain is temporary, a marathon is forever"
6) Run Hard, Run Strong, Run Proud, Run Happy
7) One Day I Will No Longer Be Able to Run, Today is NOT that day
8) Push Hard, Train Hard, Run Hard

Ok, that is only 8 mantras people and I have 26.2 miles to go!! Help me out, tell me some of your favorite mantras please.  Good luck to everyone racing this weekend and if you are not racing, come cheer us in D.C. or via Twitter (its all the same, you know...)

 Look at me Dad, I already crossed the finish line, well sorta....

 Attempting a jumping picture without the high speed camera = crazy fail

Loving the new marathon jacket