Recite & Revive

I committed a blogger sin this week. I began training for my marathon, and failed to take even one picture. Shameful.

I'm not going to do a recap of the first two days; at week's end, I'll post a little update about how it's going. But I will say that I was tempted to walk on my run today (I ran outside and the humidity almost got to me) but I powered through. I know getting through obstacles like this will make me stronger.

Also, I'm loving my new LifeProof case and armband. I can finally run in the rain! (And splash through giant puddles...my socks were totally waterlogged by the end of today's run.)

A couple weeks ago I ordered a bracelet from OneEyedFox on Etsy. There are two mantras I've been using to get me through the hard parts of my runs. I'm a very visual person; sometimes just reciting the mantras isn't enough. Now I just have to look at my wrist, and there they are!

Archie-approved.

On the back it says, "transcend".

The bracelet is so lightweight I don't notice it at all, except when I want to. You may recognize the quote on the front of the bracelet from this post. The power of these words still hasn't diminished for me.

The single word on the back is maybe even more powerful than the front. It's amazing to me that simply telling myself to transcend whatever is giving me trouble in that moment is often enough to get me through the next mile. I rise above it; I prevail.

I'm learning all kinds of mental tricks! And to think, it only took me four years of running to figure it out.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a very special anniversary post!

What mantra helps you through the tough runs?
Do you ever shop on Etsy?
Do you have any lucky accessories?

ABK