‘I believe I can fly…whooo…I believe I can touch the sky…’ R.Kelly

This was a running ‘theme song’ of mine for many years.  I can recall many a moment, pushing through the hard times and singing this one to myself with tears in my eyes as I overcame difficult times to complete a run or a race.

When times get tough, it definitely helps to have a fallback of a song or mantra to push you through.  To time to your footfall, as you break through those moments where you feel at breaking point.

‘Strong and fit, strong and fit, strong and fit’ are simple words to fill the mind and take the space of the negative self-talk that threatens to sabotage your success.

If you listen to music, you might instead have a particular song or playlist that you know will lift you up and get you through.

Girl on Fire, by Alicia Keys, was my theme song for the Krayzie Kapers 100 mile.  I listened to it throughout my training, imagining what it would feel like to achieve my goal – that song gave me goosebumps!  It’s no surprise then that when, I got the message on my last lap that I had a chance at first place, that I found that song on my playlist, chucked it on repeat and ran my little legs off!!

Mantras work in everyday life too!  There is something soothing about the way they can quiet the mind and help you through tough times.

You can have all the fancy gear and gear hacks in the world, but if you can’t get your mind right, then your chances of success will slip beyond your grasp.

Do you have a theme song? How do you use mantras?