A Challenge For You

Sunday, September 28, 2014 · Mike Davis

Good morning! What a weekend we are in the middle of here in New Hampshire, with the temperatures nearly in the mid-eighties! Thankfully when our Portsmouth Runners Alley half marathon group set out for a 90 minute run yesterday the cool morning air was still with us. What a fun run it was and the seacoast was as beautiful as could be. I want to say this is something like my 5th or 6th year of working with mostly beginners to accomplish something truly life changing. As we add time each week to our long run, many of the runners are completing distances they have never run before and never imagined they could! As a coach I get such a thrill helping and then observing each runner overcome the limits that most wouldn’t believe to be possible. As I discussed last week with Sarah, limits are mostly self-imposed and helping people discover a new realization is quite rewarding. I strongly feel that this new realization is something that not only stretches our running limits but also many of those limits we have harnessed on us like a yoke on a steer. This week I am taking on a new challenge that I feel will benefit my running tremendously and I have invited others to join me for this endeavor. In fact if you want to improve your running, you should email me and join in! What is this challenge you ask? For the next seven days the challenge is not to complain at all, not one single complaint, no matter what comes your way. How will not complaining help your running? Running requires us to overcome negativity, be mentally strong and not give in to the effects of being tired. Retraining myself from complaining will require all those same disciplines and as I develop the mental strength to choose not to complain, I feel it will directly reflect in the mental side of my running. No doubt you doubt, but regardless, a week of controlling your tongue will produce characteristics that are similar to stretching those personal limits I mentioned above. Are you in? If you want to take on this challenge the rule is simple: No complaining for the next 7 days about even the simplest matter. We will start today and the goal is that we go seven days without complaining about anything. You can do this on your own or you can email me and I will include you in on a daily accountability email. If you report in that you stumbled, you can choose to start a fresh 7 days or just continue on. This challenge won't be easy for me, but I am up for it. Are you? You can also leave a comment at the bottom of this blog and we can us that daily. Any which way, join the challenge and the effects on your running will be immense! Good luck The temperature is already at 74 degrees this morning so it will be a warm one today. I guess they call this an Indian Summer, but no matter enjoy the day and have a great week! Mike