Gratitude vs. Determination; Finding the Right Mindset for Running

I see my running coach Jake on Tuesdays, and before we do any strength training, we sit and talk about running. How my week went, how I’m feeling physically, how I’m feeling emotionally.

At one point yesterday, he told me that the fastest races he has ever run were ones where he ran with gratitude in his heart, and a feeling that running was fun. 

When a determined mindset made me run faster: I remember the first 5k I ran in under 30 minutes; I psyched myself up, I tried to trick myself into believing I could do it, I set out at the starting line with grim determination planning to conquer any pain necessary to cross that finish line in under 30. I did. It wasn’t very much fun.

When enjoyment made me run faster: Contrast that to my second half marathon, where I somehow went from 11:09 pace for a half marathon in September down to 10:30 pace in November, with only a handful of long runs in between. I had a huge improvement in pace, and it wasn’t because of confidence or determination; it was because that second half marathon was fun. I met up with Tony unexpectedly, we had a very similar pace, and talking with him on the course distracted me from any discomfort.

Pain can also be overcome by positive emotions, not just sheer force of determination and willpower.

Gratitude: Gratitude is one of those words that earns the occasional eye-roll. I have read about people who do daily gratitude practices, and this just doesn’t work well for me. When I practice gratitude, I start thinking about the flip side… like what if I had unhealthy children, or lived in a violent neighborhood, or struggled to make mortgage payments. Thinking about things in a grateful way makes me feel sorrow for those who do not have the things I’m grateful for. I end gratitude practices feeling sadness, guilt, anger, worry, and almost zero positive emotions. Unless I am in activist mode, I prefer not to experience these negative thoughts.

That said, I feel a great deal of gratitude lining up at the start line of all of my races.

It was such a crazy, insane deal when I first started Couch to 5k, and then when I first dreamed of doing the 13.1 distance. I still remember how insane and how crazy it was when I first thought to myself spectating the Chilly Half Marathon “I’m going to run this next year.”

It still feels like a practical joke on all the other runners that I’m there, too.

I do feel grateful. I feel joy. I feel pride.

These are emotions that will cause me to surge forward when that hill at mile 10 is making my calves scream.

Not determination. Determination is driven by fear of failure. Fear and doubt make you listen to your calves, analyze your fatigue, pay attention to the miles, second-guess whether you can maintain pace x, y, or z. It might work well for some people, but I am starting to question whether I’m one of them.

Gratitude means whatever pace you run up that hill is good enough, which may free you to actually run faster. It means remembering that this is fun, and you’re happy to be here, and you’re going to enjoy the challenge of that hill because you will feel strong and amazing when you make it to the top. You’re not afraid of what that hill will do to your arbitrary pace goal, you’re excited to conquer it.

You can still have a goal: I’m not saying you can’t also pace yourself and use a GPS watch during a race; but even as you’re checking splits, keeping yourself from going out too fast, following a strategy, do it with a playful mindset. Think about how it’s fun to see what happens with this strategy. Think about how excited you are to be running this race, how grateful you are for the training that got you here and now ready to attempt this goal. Be excited that you’re in this amazing moment attempting to reach your time goal.

It’s possible that you’ll run faster with a light, joyful, playful heart than you could with determination.

It certainly makes for a more enjoyable race.

How do you psych yourself up to run your best?