I was a little late to watching the joint Nike/National Geographic Breaking2 documentary. It had been out for a couple of days by the time I had managed to watch it, but waiting made me even more excited to watch it. So many of my running friends had said how inspirational it was, so I was really hyped. Nike’s marketing department did a fantastic job and it was a really good visual representation of what we’d all been reading from Alex Hutchinson in the leadup to the race.

What was most impressive about the film was not the unbelievable physical and mental performances that day, but Kipchoge’s personality and outlook on life. I find myself getting frustrated and complaining about traffic and work all the time. “I have never complained, and I will never complain,” Kipchoge said, after recounting the difficulties of his childhood brought on by not having a father in his life.

I have always turned up my nose when people started talking about the power of positive thinking. It seemed silly and frankly quite ridiculous that you could improve your situation just by trying to reframe it in a more positive manner. That was for glass-half-full people and serial optimists. I was neither of those things.

But hearing Kipchoge talk the way he does – never complaining, and a smile never absent from his face – made me reconsider. I’d tried allowing myself to be the negative person I naturally was for my whole life. And sure, it would take some effort to try to pave over the habits that have been engrained in me this long, but if I’ve tried it this way for this long, it’s worth seeing what the other way has to offer. Especially if it’s working for Kipchoge. And it was the perfect time, too, what with the shin injury hanging over me. Let’s dive in headfirst, I figured.

I’m only a few weeks into this effort to reorient myself to be more positive, but I have felt more adaptable and calm in this period than I have for the rest of my life. That’s not to say I’ve been perfect – I yelled a lot of unkind words in my car after I missed the same light three times in a row yesterday. It’s not automatic or easy, but consciously making the effort to approach things with positivity has made a difference, especially when it comes to not being able to run, has made sucky things suck less.

I visited the doctor yesterday again, and we ruled compartment syndrome back in as a possible suspect. If that’s what it is, then it’s not exactly the best outcome, but it would give me an answer and from there, we’d be able to figure out a plan to fix the issue. When I first looked at that as a possible diagnosis, before the mindset shift, I was in tears at the thought that my options were basically surgery or never really being able to run again. This time, while I’m not exactly thrilled, I’m trying to look at the positives – at least I’ll have an answer, there might be a more conservative option for treatment than surgery, and that even if it does come down to surgery, it’s largely very successful. And staying positive about it has made all the difference in the world about how I’m handling it and how it’s affecting my mood.

It’s not easy trying to be like Kipchoge, but I think it’s worth it.