Yelling at myself

Sometimes when I am out running and I feel myself slowing down, or thinking about taking an unnecessary break, I yell at myself. Not to myself, at myself. "Come on Rick." Pretty loud too. It is not negative, it is just like what a coach would do if the coach thought a little bit of encouragement in the form of yelling would get the athlete back into it.

Other times, after I run up a hill or have been running for 35 minutes, I may yell a cheer, "Ricky!"

I have been doing this for at least the last year or so. I talked with a sports psychologist about this and her take was that as long as it was not critical or negative or at another runner, then go for it. Thankfully, I did not pay for that insight.

Why bring this up today. I had to yell at some guy on my run today. "Hey!, Hey!!, HEY!!!, is that your mean looking dog not on a leash? I am trying to run here and I do want to get chased." It is so ironic, but when this kind thing happens, that the offender will often get mad at the someone who points out the offence.