Kaja Ka Voice

Another weekend gone and another long run ticked off my to-do list. This weekend's long run was a lot harder than usual to complete and I really struggled through it because, it happened... I heard it. You want the truth? Every runner has too...every runner has been seduced by it...I'm talking about kaja ka voice that starts to sweetly whisper when the run gets challenging. The voice comes from the little person in your head that talks to you and says things like "Ah, nalema! I think we should stop now." Remember him? He’s very convincing and you know what? You can’t help but flirt with the idea of quitting when he gets going. I'm here to tell you that if you learn how to defeat that person on your runs then you will learn how NOT to quit when things get hard in your life. You will be conditioned to endure difficulty and overcome adversity in any situation.

The fact is, kaja ka voice is present in every physical activity and your ability resist it will determine how far you can go not only in your fitness adventures but in life as well.

Here are some battle tips for success during the mental warfare when it comes:

Listen, and then laugh it off and talk back
You're going to hear it; it's inevitable. Instead of pretending you can't hear it or that you'll simply ignore it, choose to listen and find the humor in it and accept the challenge presented. It's time to prove something to that little person and yourself. Learn to talk to yourself positively when things get hard. To encourage and support yourself and become your own cheerleader.

Do what you said
At this point in time many of us have made new year resolutions that we may or may not be on track with. Remember the promise to lose weight? To run 10/21/42 kms (or more) this year? To get a 6 pack maybe? To get that degree? Remember what you said to yourself about the year 2021? Keep running until you get to the finish line that you set for yourself no matter how hard things get. Don't let that little person turn you into a liar because you're not keeping your word of doing the things you said you would do. 

Smile
Smile when things get hard. This simple act will change the dynamics of any situation. Your legs are burning? Smile. Life is hard? Smile. Learn to be positive and embrace difficult situations. There's no situation in your life that you can't handle, no run and distance that you can't complete. Smile through the pain and eventually you'll realize that you don't feel anything anymore. Smiling can numb the pain, both actual and perceived pain. Show off those pearly whites and watch yourself triumph over any situation.

I've always considered kaja ka voice as a gauge of your capacity to endure and how bad you really want something. Every run is an opportunity to develop this capacity through constant duels with that little person in your head. Start running and bear witness to the extreme development in your mental toughness and resilience. Fitness is merely a side effect so run & grow!