It's all in your head.

I did it. I signed up for my second half-marathon, the Capital City River Run in Lansing Sept. 26. I must say, spending $45 was not nearly as hard to get past (I'm a cheapskate, what can I say?) as the mental hurdle.

This is the real deal. No more talking about how I'm "going to run another half." I mean, sure, I can bail last minute and eat a tub of ice cream at home instead, and feel awful about it. I'm not married to the event. And even I could get past wasting $45.

But I'm not going to do that.

I've read many articles suggesting that mental preparation is just as important as physical preparation when it comes to running. One particular article on Active.com even goes so far as to suggest that mental fatigue occurs before actual muscle fatigue:

"A number of recent studies have clearly demonstrated that fatigue-related declines in exercise performance are almost always associated with corresponding declines in motor output from the brain. Other studies have shown that muscles are able to continue working beyond normal endurance limits--without suffering any harm--when the motor centers of the brain are artificially stimulated."

OK, it's a little drab and science-y for my taste, but important to understand when, during a run, you hit "the wall."

Every runner's been there: You start out feeling fabulous and powerful, but at some point start to feel like every bench you run by looks pretty inviting. Why am I doing this? I need a more sedentary hobby. This is completely masochistic. Am I done yet? Am I done yet? Am I done yet?

I'm not an expert, so take this with a grain of salt, but here are my own personal tips for avoiding the wall.

1. Set achievable goals, then surpass them. Tell yourself you're going to run five miles, to the end of the street - whatever your level is - but always set your goal below how long or how far you actually want to go. Then, when you get there, keep going and your brain will tell you "Good job! You're awesome!" This is especially helpful on days when you really would rather sit on the couch.

2. Don't be afraid to take a break. I'm not talking a stop-for-ice-cream-and-read-a-book kind of break, but if there's a water stop on your run (or if you have water with you), slow down to a walk, wipe the sweat from your brow (literally) and enjoy that water. It will probably taste like the best thing you've ever put in your mouth. Then keep going.

3. Do a pre-run mental workout. This is different for every person, but in my case it includes yoga and pumping myself up. I am strong. I am powerful. I can do this.

4. Don't beat yourself up. If you meet your goal time or distance, awesome. If not, no big deal. Cramps, blisters and bad days happen. Try to standardize your runs by what you wear, what you eat before-hand, what time you run to avoid physical discomfort that can lead to mental defeat.

5. Don't give up! Your body and your mind will both thank you for it.