Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Legs

On Sunday my group and I had beautiful weather, the sidewalks largely alright despite some icy patches. Monday brought snow courtesy of a front closing parts of Manitoba,Saskatchewan, and Alberta.  Environment Canada called it a ‘heavy snow fall warning.’ While the wind largely died down in the evening, the ice found itself covered in loosely packed snow.  It increased the chances of slipping.  I underestimated the hard trudging such snow usually induces.

As usual I brought up the rear.  The resistance left me a little winded, and left a crack open for the inner voice to make its appearance.  This is not the cheerleader, more like the Debbie Downer.

Debbie Downer:  Seriously, why are you leader if you are always behind everyone?

Me:  It’s called leading from behind.

Debbie Downer:    Well, this is what happened when your behind should have a sign saying WIDE LOAD.

A competing voice enters.  This one is the cheerleader. Nothing Rah-Rah just calm and encouraging.  I call this one Eve Encourager.

Debbie Downer:  This snow is hard on anyone.  You came out and the group responds to that.

Debbie Downer:  pfft..

Eve Encourager:  Do you really have to do that?

Debbie Downer:  We need realism.  We can’t have Fatima thinking she’s doing well as a clinic leader if she’s huffing and puffing like she’s doing.

Eve Encourager:  Get out of your head and into your legs Fatima.

Debbie Downer:  Seriously, just walk.  As soon this clinic is over, this group will no longer have an imposter.

Me (Finally Speaking Up):  Shut up.

Debbie Downer:  Make me.

Eve Encourager:  Out of your head…Into your legs…Out of your head…into your legs…

Debbie Downer:  You know those guys pointing and laughing during gym class were right.

Eve Encourager:  Alright it’s time for a little visualization.

Debbie Downer:  Oh no you don’t…

Eve Encourger:  Your days of ruling are over.  This is how we’ll get rid of you. (To Me)  A little visualization for the next time Downer decides to come along:

Feel better?

Me:  Much.  Thank you.

Eve Encourager:  Out of your head…into your legs…and breathe.  Next time Debbie comes out, we’ll stick the Hulk/Loki scene to show her we mean business.

With that Eve, and Debbie, went away.  The rest of run still felt hard as my muscles worked overtime to get me through the snow.  In the end the only way through the conditions is get out of my head and into my legs.