Mental Game

I set out on my long run this morning and immediately started psyching myself out with negative speak.

“This is too long, you haven’t trained enough.” (untrue)

“This is stupid. ” (I’m profound)

“I’m going too slow, I won’t be able to make the market.” (untrue)

I wasn’t looking forward to the run all week and now that I was into it, I was self-sabotaging to try to get out of it. Around mile two, I snapped out of it told my negative self to take a flying leap.

“Shut up. You’ve trained hard for these long runs. You’ve spent months working on your endurance. You are strong. You can do this. You are so much stronger than you think”

Then and checked-in my body, my legs felt fresh (taking yesterday off was the right decision) and my lungs felt great, physically I was ready for this run. I turned off my “pump it up” pandora station and turned my “easy listening/sing along” station, I wanted to enjoy this run and I knew some sing along classic would help me out. I also decided to get out of my head and start taking in my surroundings.

The Madison Arboretum is one of the best running paths this gorgeous city has to offer and I needed to take in its natural beauty and the wonderful weather I privileged to run in. Running is after all a privilege.  It takes me about 3 miles to take to the closest entrance of the Arboretum and run about 22 minutes in and then head back in the direction I entered. In all, I ran for 1 hour and 38 minutes or 10.5 miles (ish).  It felt incredible to finish this run, I had conquered my own negativity in time to enjoy myself and my accomplishments.

Honestly, it was as if Pandora knew I was having a rough run and played all the right songs. There was alot of Matt Jackson and the end of my run as I approached the 8 minute incline, Hayley Williams ‘Airpanes’ and Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’ came on. Now Al Green might not sounds like good running music to you, however it one of my favorites and I danced my first slow dance as a married lady to that song and it was a perfect distraction.

You like my new running watch? What if I told you it was on clearance for $8.75 at Target? AMAZING steal.

I wasn't kidding...what a deal.

Next on the agenda was to meet up with Austin’s at the farmer’s market. Yes, I’m the third wheel however I never feel like it. I love them.

😦 Sad news, it isn’t apple season just yet.

We stopped off the square and head to Marigold’s Kitchen to pick up a tasty snack for moi as well as some catering info for a certain bride-to-be.

It was very hard to make a choice when there is soo many delectable options.

Holy Pastry Porn Batman! It was after 11 am, so I did what any sane chocolate lover would do and when with the cupcake. BOY, oh boy did I make the right selection.

Kerri said that he only complaint was that it wasn’t bigger and that is how you know it was fantastic. She is a choc-o-holic The cupcake was moist, chocolatey and delicious while the cream cheese was just….holy frickin’ yum. That is the only adjective I could think of to describe it and the combination was deadly and amazing.

On my way home, I stopped off for another treat but that is for another post. 🙂