Half Way There and Going Strong
Last week I had someone tell me that on race day we can just do the best we can. Yes, this is true, three months from race day training with discipline and focus will make that "best" on race day even better.
All of it is either physical training or brain training.
Lessons learned:
Be Grateful:
Accepting gifts is accepting part of the giver. The reverse is true, rejecting a gift rejects a part of the giver. Be grateful and accept gifts.
Show up:
Doing the workouts frees my mind for other things. I can be with family. I can ride my horse, I can read, nap, garden, yard work, without thinking about, fretting about a workout because I have already done it. This will translate to showing up on race day and being able to do my best. I can put my energy into that event instead of marinating in the workouts I didn't do.
Brain Training:
I have not been a resilient person. Being resilient will take me a very long way to the finish line. Accepting hardships, sideways plans, without complaining will help me be more resilient which will help every aspect of my life.
No Complaining Rule:
By not complaining I free up that thinking power, that energy to find solutions or accept what is if it can't be solved, or solved right now. It will also help me be a more pleasant person all around, to other people and to myself.
Do The Uncomfortable, Hard Things:
Train in less than ideal conditions. With this training when things go wrong in a race, and in an ultra, they most likely will, or when things get uncomfortable in a race I will be better equipped to adapt and complete the event. I will know discomfort isn't an emergency, its just discomfort.
Rest:
Take rest seriously. A tired mind isn't resilient. A tired body is more likely to lead to injury. So on rest days rest body and mind.
Be Kind:
I have heard of experienced ultra runners giving aid station volunteers and/or race directors a hard time when they miss cut-offs. I swear I will never blame a volunteer for things that the volunteer has no control over. I have asked my pacers to remind me of this if I should slip. I will be kind.
I'm sure as the race gets closer and training continues there will be more lessons to add to this list.
Lessons learned:
Be Grateful:
Accepting gifts is accepting part of the giver. The reverse is true, rejecting a gift rejects a part of the giver. Be grateful and accept gifts.
Show up:
Doing the workouts frees my mind for other things. I can be with family. I can ride my horse, I can read, nap, garden, yard work, without thinking about, fretting about a workout because I have already done it. This will translate to showing up on race day and being able to do my best. I can put my energy into that event instead of marinating in the workouts I didn't do.
Brain Training:
I have not been a resilient person. Being resilient will take me a very long way to the finish line. Accepting hardships, sideways plans, without complaining will help me be more resilient which will help every aspect of my life.
No Complaining Rule:
By not complaining I free up that thinking power, that energy to find solutions or accept what is if it can't be solved, or solved right now. It will also help me be a more pleasant person all around, to other people and to myself.
Do The Uncomfortable, Hard Things:
Train in less than ideal conditions. With this training when things go wrong in a race, and in an ultra, they most likely will, or when things get uncomfortable in a race I will be better equipped to adapt and complete the event. I will know discomfort isn't an emergency, its just discomfort.
Rest:
Take rest seriously. A tired mind isn't resilient. A tired body is more likely to lead to injury. So on rest days rest body and mind.
Be Kind:
I have heard of experienced ultra runners giving aid station volunteers and/or race directors a hard time when they miss cut-offs. I swear I will never blame a volunteer for things that the volunteer has no control over. I have asked my pacers to remind me of this if I should slip. I will be kind.
I'm sure as the race gets closer and training continues there will be more lessons to add to this list.
No comments:
Post a Comment