If you've run a race, you've been there: the moment when your body would like to give up now, thankyouverymuch, and your brain starts to slip into negativity. (And if you haven't run a race yet, you can expect to be there.) So, when the going gets tough, how can you keep on moving through the struggle? Charlie Dark, Lululemon global run ambassador, has an excellent trick — and his advice is something every runner can use, whether you're setting out on your first 5K or out to add to your collection of marathon medals.
A couple of days before I ran Lululemon's Seawheeeze half marathon in Vancouver, BC, Charlie got together with my group of runners to take us through a simple writing exercise with the power to transform your next running challenge:
I tested it out for myself on the morning of the half marathon. With two miles left, I was trying to push for the final stretch, and it was starting to hurt. But I thought of my person — okay, my person was my dog — and just focusing on him put a smile on my face and helped power me over the finish line with a sense of joy and purpose. I'll definitely be breaking out the pen and paper before my next race and putting Charlie's tip to use again.