I'm really surprised that I have not written about this aspect of running yet. I went back through some of my old entries and could not find anything. Certainly there is something buried in there somewhere for my marathon training last year. I'll have to take another look. I'm curious what I thought about the mental preparation last year and how my thinking might have changed after 2 marathons. I just can't seem to find it. Oh well let's take a stab at it today.
If I am going to be honest I think I have to admit that the mental aspect of running, especially long distance running is my weakest link. I plan out my training schedule. I try to eat the right things to prepare for racing (for the most part, ice cream may not be on the list of suggested training foods), but the mental aspect seems to fall by the wayside or is an afterthought. It is something that I need to think more about. All too often in a race I break down mentally and talk myself out of doing my best. All too often I let the negative voices win over.
I have a plan though. I have a plan that is already in progress to fight back the negative voices, to prepare me for those late miles of the marathon so that I can run my best.
1. Ditch the iPod.
I've long run with my iPod. I always thought that it helped me relax and enjoy the run, especially the long runs. I still think that it can have some benefit for those short recovery runs and medium recovery runs, especially on the treadmill. I've decided though that on my long runs and intervals, hills or other concentration intensive workouts I'm going to leave the iPod at home. I've found that when I've worn it for longer races, the marathon in particular, that it becomes a distraction late in the race. When I should be concentrating on my breathing, my technique and staying relaxed I'm stuck in my head with the iPod while I'm gasping for breath and running poorly. I need to start working on this now during my training. I leave the iPod at home and concentrate on technique.
The other reason to leave the iPod at home is that I'm running with a group more now. It is easier to be social and interact with the other runners with earbuds stuck in my ears. I still believe it has its benefits for running just not for me for now.
2. Find that technique that will help me late in the race.
I'm searching for that one thing that will motivate me late in the race when I'm tired and want to stop. There are many different methods that people use to motivate themselves or keep themselves on pace when things get tough. Some people disassociate themselves by latching on to a memory or other thoughts that take them away from the pain. Some people use their heroes to motivate them. This is particularly true for the TNT group. We are running for our heroes that are going through cancer treatment and tough times. If they can do what they're doing I can run a few more miles. Some use the love of their family, while others just concentrate on their bodies and count their steps.
I'm still looking for that one strategy that will push me through. It's easy to pick some things now, as I'm sitting here typing this, but I won't really know what's going to work until I put it to the test. This final weeks of long runs will be the testing ground. Right now I'm thinking that it won't be one particular thing, but a combination of strategies that helps. I'm still working it out.
2 comments:
I admire your drive. I've never been a runner, but I used to swim competitively and so can relate to the "mental game". That last leg is always the hardest.
I know it sounds nuts, but I've found that most of the time, mentally, I'm trying to figure out ways to quit. Part of me is egging my body on, saying 'you can do it, don't give up!', but the other part of me is like, 'this is crazy, and painful, and if I stop now, all the better!'. And for years now, the only thing that has gotten me through is the knowledge that no matter how tired I am, it could be worse. I've always focused on this particularly poignant part of a film I watched once, where Holocaust victims were being forced to run from the train where they had disembarked to another location. Here were these people, in street clothes and uncomfortable shoes, honestly running for their lives, and if they stumbled or gave up, they were shot on the spot. So when I'm running and I find my mind trying to spaz out on me, I bully myself into going on by telling myself how lazy I am, and how little I've suffered in my life compared to so many people the world over. And it never fails to keep me going.
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