“Just Keep Running, Just Keep Running”  I can’t tell you how often I say that modified Dory quote to myself when I’m running. 

I sometimes sing an entire song – all the lyrics – in my head (if you can actually sing out loud, you are not running fast enough!).   

Often times I just start doing a mental run down of my running – how is my breathing? am I in alignment? am I rolling from heel to toe? head up!  unclenched fists!  good posture! etc…   

Or I plan what I’m going to eat AFTER I run 

I also remind myself that I am accountable.  Often times, I can hear May’s voice in my head, “How is your running going?”  And I’d rather tell her that I ran 2 miles instead of sheepishly admitting that I quit a half mile early and just walked the rest of the way. 

Then, I tell myself,  “Tomorrow is a rest day / cross train day / walking day – just finish this run and be done with it!”

Finally, if all else fails…I become my own drill seargent:  “C’mon…are you going to tell me that you can’t stick to a program for 8 7 6 lousy weeks?!   Don’t you care about your body?!!”

This is why I sold my treadmill…  When I run outside, once I get to the half way point, I have to go the rest of the way to get home.  To keep myself running, I can look to the next marker…the white mailbox, the powerbox, the next intersection, that brick house…  I count cars, count mailboxes… 

I also have a mental note of mile markers that helps me know how much I’ve gone so far.    Of course, they sometimes makes me realize things like, Crap! I’ve only run .5 mile, 1.5 miles to go!.