Why You Should Run A Gratitude Mile
A positive mindset can see you through when the going gets tough
Running coach Matthew Meyer on how practising positivity transformed
his approach to marathon running
I think it’s safe to say no one embarks on a marathon intending to be negative about it. But as my friend Peter points out, ‘The marathon is too far and too fickle to be tamed by your intentions.’ If you’ve already covered 26.2 miles, you’ve probably already confronted that moment when it feels like everything is crashing down around you and that voice in your head is saying, ‘I want it to be over.’ If you’re about to embark on your first marathon, then be prepared for that moment to come.
I went to that dark place around mile 16 of the 2019 Boston Marathon. I’d played it smart during the first half of the race, but after training through a grim winter in New York City, the weather wasn’t working for me. The heat and humidity were unexpected challenges, and I was unprepared. It started with some tightness in my left hamstring; I could feel a cramp threatening to take hold. That triggered a tidal wave of thoughts:
‘Of course this is happening. Why did you think you could reach this goal? You’re going to let down everyone who helped you get here.’
Once you let in a little negativity, the door seems to blow wide open.
But here’s the thing: this happens to everyone. The key is knowing that you don’t have to stay there. The ability to exit this dark place is what can make or break you on race day.
One of my favourite runners and greatest inspirations, the US Olympian Deena Kastor, is the champion of this. Steering your mind away from that
endless loop of negativity and, instead, drawing from a well of positivity, changed her as an athlete and allowed her to push her performances beyond what she thought possible. Before every big race, I reread the parts of her book Let Your Mind Run (see right) that are especially poignant for me. That day in Boston, I told myself, ‘Find a thought that serves you better.’
So that’s what I did when I hit mile 16. As waves of fatigue and lactic acid rolled through my legs, I started whispering a Kastor-inspired quote I hold onto when I’m in a rough patch: ‘optimism and gratitude, optimism and gratitude.’ It sounds nutty, but when I shifted from focusing on the pain to thinking about the people I cared about and the gift of this race, the cramp went away for a few moments.
This strategy is nothing new. When we asked runners via Instagram for tips on getting through a tough long run, one of the most popular responses cited was the concept of the ‘gratitude mile’. Taking a mile to think about what you are thankful for helps you shift your mindset and get past that midrun slump.
‘It’s easy to focus too much on pace, times and chasing the next PB; the gratitude mile helps you find yourself again and appreciate the fact that you are able to run at all,’ says runner Melissa Emery. ‘I begin by simply taking notice and appreciating the simple things along my run.’
Focusing on what you’re grateful for is more than just an anecdotal training hack. Science backs it up: a study in the journal Clinical Psychological Science found that people who engaged in positive self-talk felt more energised than those with a negative mindset. They also had a lower heart rate and sweat response (how much you sweat in response to distress), which triggered a feeling of relaxation.
‘Psychologists will tell you that positive thoughts will lead to positive emotions and that, in turn often leads to positive outcomes,’ says running coach Janet Hamilton. ‘I often tell my athletes to practise having a positive mantra during long runs.’
As with your endurance, it is something you have to work on. While running, you’re not only building your fitness but also sharpening your mental fortitude so that when you come to that hard spot on race day, you know what to do. Prepare something you can focus on before you even go out on the run, and use it when you find yourself in those tough spots.
We get opportunities to practise this kind of positivity every day, not just on the run. Someone cuts you up in traffic? Remember that it is a tiny blip in the grand scheme of things.
You have a huge work presentation? Be grateful someone cares about what you have to say. Cultivate this attitude in little moments and you’ll be able to better utilise it during a race or run.
Every time I have the opportunity to ask a little more of myself, I choose positivity. Yes, whenever you’re taking on a challenge, things are going to get tough. Chances are, your mind will turn toward that dark place. But more than avoiding it, the ability to overcome it and keep moving forward is what matters. I ended up running 2:39:43 at Boston, earning a PB on a tough course and on a warm day. But it wasn’t the time I was most proud of: it was the way I raced. I had every opportunity to drown in negativity, but I managed to steer that voice in my head back toward gratitude and positivity to serve me better. And the beauty is that no matter what level of runner you are, you have the same opportunity to change the conversation, focus your mindset and break through that finish line.