#140 - Creating Your Running Creed
In this week’s blog/podcast we will discuss creating your running creed. What is a running creed you ask?
Webster Dictionary defines a creed: a set of fundamental beliefs also : a guiding principle Never settle for mediocrity is his creed.
This week’s post was inspired by this quote:
“My whole teaching in one sentence is: “Run slowly, run daily, drink moderately, and don’t eat like a pig.” —Dr. Ernst van Aaken, renowned German coach
Let’s break this quote down and see how we can create our own running creeds. I also asked other runners to share their creeds with me. I’m going to share what they told me with you as well. Finally, check out the week that was for us on the podcast as we catch up with Lisa Gallagher, Chris Ballard and Jessica Young at the Industrial Park Scholarship 5k in Vineland N.J.
Hello, my name is Coach Tadris Parker, I have a passion for helping people become healthier one step at a time. My podcast is designed to help share stories of everyday people that are doing amazing things with their health through running, walking, and following a whole food approach. My blogs are my shorthand notes for the podcast. The notes may not always be complete, but they are short and to the point for a quick read. Continue to scroll down for a quick read and check out this week’s photos.
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This Week's Topic:
If we are to break down the definition of the word creed again into two parts, we can get a sense of how to create your running creed.
Part 1: Set of fundamental beliefs
What are your beliefs right now about yourself in terms of running? Do you tend to think negative thoughts about yourself? Welcome to the club we all struggle with this. Let’s go through some of those thoughts briefly to show that you are not alone.
I’m Slow
It’s Too Cold/Hot
If I Was Only Like Her/Him
It’s Raining (I Hate Running In Rain)
I Can’t Get My Breathing Under Control
If Only I Ate Good This Week/I Would Have Been Better Today
Does any of these sound familiar? If you have had these conversations with yourself during a run, please comment below and or leave a 60 second message on our show to be played on our podcast. (State your name, and where you are from.)
What we say to ourselves are our belief systems! It’s time to change our thoughts about ourselves in order to change your beliefs. Check out this amazing quote from Ralf Waldo Emerson:
“Treat a man/woman as he/she is, and he/she will remain as he/she is. Treat a man/woman as he/she could be, and he/she will become what he/she should be.”
It is time to apply this to yourself. Change those thought patterns and begin to believe that you are that dude/dudette. Now with that said, you cannot outrun a bad diet, or expect for great speed if you haven’t been doing speed work. What are your goals? Some are signing up to support a good cause, others are signing up for a race for the sense of accomplishment. There is a small percentage of individuals that are the elite who are signing up to win the whole thing. What we all have in common is that we are runners and we love being out there with other runners.
We just addressed how your thoughts lead to your beliefs about yourself. We must understand that to change the thought patterns about ourselves we must change our habits that no longer serve us. We can’t just say things out loud if it isn’t true. We can’t fool ourselves. Once we’ve created a new habit which takes anywhere from 21 - 30 days, we are ready to start the process of believing that we are this new version of ourselves. Now that we have put in some work, 21 - 30 days isn’t that long. It is time to use them as our guiding principles during your race event.
Part 2: A guiding principle
There are times in which we turn on our navigation system in our cars even though we know where we are going. I do this sometimes in case of a road closure, or to make sure I’m taking the fastest route. In the same way, when we are running, we want to make sure we are being guided by the right thoughts. We do not want to be detoured by negative thoughts and emotions. Carefully crafting our running creeds will allow us to recalculate during the run.
Your brain starts to say: “I’m Slow” our new guiding principle will now say:
“I’m a speed demon” / “I have a need for speed.”
Your brain starts to complain about the temperature, no problem, recalculate by saying:
“This weather got nothing on me” / It’s hot, but I’m hotter” / “Cold makes me run faster”
Your brain starts to compare yourself to others, say;
“Run your race” or “I’m pacing myself for a strong finish”
Your brain starts to notice how hard you are breathing, say;
“Focus on your breath, I got this” / “Inhale 1-2, Exhale 1-2”
Your brain starts to blame your current weight for any struggles, say;
“I’ve trained for this” / “I run on clean energy” / “I feel good without sugar weighing me down” / “I am strong”
Those are just a few that you can incorporate into your running practice. Make sure you sit down and think of your own, and in practice begin to say them to yourself and notice how you feel after. On our latest 5k, which I will speak about at the end of this blog, we had three members plus myself run the race. My friend Chris Ballard uttered three simple words as we passed one another: “You Got This!” That’s all I needed to hear as I completed my goal for this race of running my last mile faster than miles 1 & 2. May you remember that you too got this the next time you step out on your next race.
Before I get into the “Week That Was” let me share what other runners use as their running creeds
What Other’s Said:
George Parker: It’s not luck. It’s training.
Amber Lodrigues: Don’t think, just go.
Katie Stearns: You're not actually suffocating. Go.
Tony Hemmings: Let’s go Tony, let’s go…….
Emily Cooley: Just keep going
Alex Jones: Forward is winning
Lynn Tasso: I’m also done
Tyler Michalowski: One foot in front of the other
Mike White: Forget the numbers
El Chucky: My race, my pace!
Samantha Wolf: Go big or go home! (Actually my creed for everything) 😅
What Are Your Thoughts?
Thanks to those that shared their running creeds with me. What’s your running creed? Please feel free to leave a comment below. You can also now leave a 60-second message for the show. Your message will be played on our next episode of the show. Introduce yourself with your name and where you are from. Then leave a question, words of motivation, your personal story, or just tell us how you enjoy the show.
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Congratulations
To members Chris Ballard, Lisa Gallagher & Jessica Young for accomplishing the first ever “clean sweep.” Each lady on this team won 1st place in their age groups (30-39) (40-49) (60-69) at the Industrial Scholarship 5k in Vineland N.J. On March 13th, 2022. I love these ladies spanning all generations. I love how they all have a commitment to coming to practice and putting in the hard work. They come in the dark, in the cold of N.J. and support one another. The reward is these smiles on race day! We don’t always run to win the race, but it doesn’t hurt to go home with some hardware. Great job ladies!
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