Ok, to expand on yesterday's comment about introspection.
In well trained atheletes, introspection can be a good thing. Whether it be a swing, a shot, a sore muscle, a mental miscue, good or bad these individuals can quite frequently analyze what is going on with their body or mind, evaluate, and adjust. But you've no doubt seen some of the best in there sport struggle because they started "pressing", "over-thinking", or if you like, they just "CHOKE".
For the average athelete, introspection can be a slippery slope that prevents us from reaching our potential. How so?
First, we all need to be concious of our body and aware enough to know when pain is a signal to slow down or stop to avoid serious injury. With that said, too much awareness can be a serious detriment to performance or endurance.
When running, introspection can limit one's resolve and explode minor hurdles into major obstacles. If we turn our focus inward we start to find things wrong. We begin to evaluate our aches and pains, we begin to create alternate training goals, rather than push through to our pre-training objectives.
For most of us, focusing on external stimuli is much more effective. Ever got into a good set of songs on the MP3 player and had the miles just fly by? How about running with a partner, engaged in conversation, do the runs seem as harsh as a solo run? If we can keep our minds out of the way, our bodies can accomplish some really impressive feats.
Don't let your mind become your biggest hurdle. As my dad used to always tell me, "Can't never did do nothing!"
3 comments:
I read an article in a recent Runner's World (I almost never read that magazine, but was on a flight and needed something to occupy me). The article was about internally disassociating. Letting the mind wander as it pertains to little pains and aches, effort, etc. And externally associating- being aware of environment, dangers, terrain, etc. Your post hits the nail on the head.
My best runs are when I put my mind in idle as to the effort of the run but wind-up in philosophical wanderings or puzzle through aspects of life. And because I'm on trails most of the time, the terrain has to stay in focus at all times. One wrong step and I'm out of running for a good long time while my ankle heals (or worse).
There's a 10.5 mile trail I run near my house. The first 4 miles are mostly uphill and very tough. But after that, it's almost all downhill and I have 6.5 miles of easy, relaxed running in which disassociation is the most natural thing in the world. I come away feeling like I've been to some kind of relaxation/meditation class, only better!
Have a great Sunday worship day!
I saw that article as well and I proceeded to test it's hypothesis.
I discovered disassociation allowed my to endure a lot better than when I let myself focus on my physical/mental condition.
I saw "Facing the Giants" the prior to writing this post and I loved the blindfolded torture crawl scene. While staged, it is amazing what we can do when we don't set artificial limits.
OK- I have so gotta see that movie. Everyone tells me it's a great flick.
I'm hoping to disassociate for about 2 1/2 hours tomorrow morning on my favorite long run up in the mountains. If my knees hold out!
Hope you're enjoying the change in training goals and the renewed intensity. Have a great day.
Peace,
Brian
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