My Running Journey Part 3 {Finding Your Second Wind}

Can you believe it's the last week of January?  That means I'm wrapping up my Running Journey Series.  Each Monday of the month I've been sharing a bit of what I've come to love and learn about running.  Not that I'm an expert by any means, but I always enjoy hearing others ideas, and finding a bit of motivation to get going.

Finding my second wind has been one of the biggest "ahas" I've had as a runner.  

I LOVE Shelley from House of Smiths (who doesn't?)!  I remember reading one of her weight loss journey posts quite awhile ago, but a quote I read in her post has stuck with me ever since then.  It said:

"Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second wind."

-William James

By the time I read this quote, I'd actually already found it to be true, but hadn't really ever thought about it in the way to quote states it.  Here are a few tips that I've found helpful in finding my second wind.

SET A CHALLENGING GOAL

This was my week two post of My Running Journey Series.  I have to say that setting my challenging goal (doing Ragnar) pushed me enough to find my second wind.  If I'd never given myself that challenge, I would have just been content to run like I'd always run, and not pushing myself any further.  I was running on my first wind, getting tired, then stopping.  Unless you have something challenging you to go further, you probably won't.  Set a goal to get you past that first wind.

SLOWLY INCREASE YOUR RUNNING TIME

It's just about impossible to make yourself take one more step when you're dead tired and exhausted.  Just start with something small.  Even just one or two minutes more past your exhausted stage can make a difference.  After time, you'll get used to the extra two minutes, and then you can increase another minute or two, then another, and another.  For me, the first three miles of my run are always the hardest.  I used to never go past three miles because it was hard, and I thought I'd feel that way for my entire run.  As I've slowly increased my time, I've come to find that it actually gets easier for me the longer I go.  My body seems to settle in, and I honestly do feel that second wind kick in.  It's really cool, actually!

SAVE YOUR FAVORITE SONG FOR THE LAST

I've been amazed with how my body responds to music when I run.  I have a lot of great songs on my playlist, and they help me throughout my run, but I have a few songs that I always save for the last stretch just before my second wind, because they bring a burst of energy when I don't have much to pull from myself.  Right now my song is Katy Perry's Roar.  I tell you every time that songs comes on, I feel completely energized!  I usually have to switch up my last stretch songs because I do get a bit bored with them after awhile.  Keep your ears open whenever you're listening to music for your next last stretch song, or you can search running playlists online and find songs that way.

PRAY

(This actually doesn't relate exactly to finding my second wind, but it's helped me keep going even when I've wanted to quite, so I'm putting it in here.)

I pray for just about about everything in my life.  Well, okay, I don't pray about what bread to buy at the grocery store, or what to wear for the day, but the big, important things I do.  The reason I do is because I realize I'm human and I can't do a lot of what I want to do on my own.  I believe I need some divine help in my life to accomplish my goals and purpose.  I'm not saying I pray to go more miles and it happens right then and there, but I do have a habit of praying for a desire to get up and stick with my goals.  It's made a big difference for me.  I LOVE this quote from Spencer W. Kimball:

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can.  He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunity, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace."

Did you see that line about strengthening our muscles?  I honestly believe it!  There are many days I get up, I run, and at the end of it all I wonder how I did it.  For me, this quote explains why. 

Hopefully you've found a thing of two that's either kept you motivated, or got you motivated to stick with your running/exercising goals.  I know they've helped me along the way, and I couldn't be more grateful.  Running has been such a blessing for me.  That may sound funny, but it's true.  My days are much more productive and pleasant when I start them with a run.  I have more energy, I'm more patient, I feel good about myself, my pants fit, and my overall health and well-being are simply better.  I read another quote on Shelley's blog that I loved.  This one comes straight from her:

"It's never gotten easier, but eventually the results started outweighing the pain and struggle.. and that's why I keep going."

-Shelley Smith

I couldn't have said it better myself.  There will come a point where the results outweigh the struggle, and that's why you get up and do it!

Here are weeks one, two, and three's posts if you missed them.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.