18 can make a difference!

Sunday, August 12, 2012 · Mike Davis

Sorry about the hiatus, had to deal with a tragic death this week.

I would like to talk about the number 18 today, not a real glorious number that would instantly garner recognition, but an important number nevertheless. Often I resolve to make a change in my life for the better, but after a few days I inevitably fall back into my original pattern. Sometimes it’s a onetime struggle and I continue trying, other times I give up. For me the success of a changed habit is often dependent on the importance of the end result. Mentally I feel I am pretty strong and have enough core discipline to break most habits or create a new habit. I will be honest and also say that there are a few habits I haven’t been able to overcome yet and a few good ones I haven’t been able to add.

Sometime back I was listening to the radio and a man was promoting a book or some study on the number 18. The results of some studies for which I have no idea is that in order to changer or create a habit we must do whatever it is 18 times. Psychologically success is based on repetition and apparently studies have given us a number to aim for.

Of course I quickly thought about this concept and running! Can the number 18 have significance when it comes to running? I believe it does and I think it’s huge! As with any challenge of starting a new habit it requires consistency and discipline before it becomes a habit. Running is a challenge and it’s not often fun or easy initially so staying on course can be very difficult and often people give up early on. Running requires some tools that are often overlooked if you truly want to be successful. Many people that set out to start running for the first time often fail as they lack direction and understanding. A custom running plan for a new runner can provide a great blueprint for success. From there the number 18 becomes the target! With a custom training plan in hand, now this new runner has to run and run some more. When does it get easy? Oh, you think you know where the number 18 comes in; it gets easier after 18 days or 18 runs, right? No, probably not, sorry.

What’s our goal as a new runner? Trying to create a new habit (be a runner). We have a custom running plan that we invested in and now we are struggling along learning about our bodies and discipline or lack thereof. There are days we want to take off, there are painful moments and there are challenges with life’s interruptions. Somehow though we are able to stick with the custom running plan and we are nearly through 6 weeks since the start and for whatever reason we now pack that gym bag without any thought, or slide on those Asics almost automatically. We have run pretty much stayed with the custom running plan and have run 18 times or so and the brain is now on auto pilot. A habit is born!

Doesn’t that sound simple? Contact me at www.nofinishlinerunning.com, order a custom running plan, run 18 times and you are now a runner? The easiest piece of that is ordering the custom running plan; the rest is the real challenge. Creating a new habit is life changing and the success is only likely if there’s repetition and resolve. I tell those that take on the challenge of running their first half marathon that it will be life changing. Ultimately most that completes the half marathon agree that it is in fact life changing. Reason being they had a training plan, they stuck to it, they exceeded the 18 days of running and they ran 13.1 miles!

So what happens when a year later and the running does not seem to be a habit anymore? Chances are that the individual took a break, now always a bad thing, but day 18 of the break came and that became the new habit. Running can seem like a chore at times and mentally we have to overcome that, but getting back to 18 is the secret. So whether you are new to running or are struggling in getting back out there, think about the number 18!