Another "any one who knows me knows" statement coming in 3, 2, 1 ... I consider myself a pretty tough individual. It doesn't hurt that I'm stubborn as all hell and being a typical Taurus, a hardworking, determined individual. I welcome any physical challenge that comes my way and often have great success with them. I don't like to say "I can't" to anything. I will spend hours and hours and months and months building up to a single event but, and this is where I need some help, this is where I struggle.
I always have.
I get into my own head too much.
I start to put boundaries on what I'm doing and where I'm going. Most specifically, while running a marathon. Maybe it's the logical, detail oriented business analyst in me maybe it's something else but I need to get past it. I have the means to get past it, I have the physical capabilities to make anything happen but still I get hung up.
Mantras help. Focus helps. Confidence helps.
What do you do to get yourself past these points? Brute force? Finding your special place deep inside the mind? Disassociating completely?
6 comments:
I've been thinking a lot about this, and I was going to send you an email. Since you've opened it up here, I'll write here.
I am glad you are running a marathon where there isn't a party. Where there isn't another person (people) to hook up with. Where there isn't the hype. I need to do that.
For me, the hype around a race weekend -- even something as low key as our IL weekend, heightens the "here comes the ultimate day -- the RACE -- the culmination of all that training" anxiety. I killed it on my 21 milers, both with MP miles included, and had a lot left in the tank at the end of those runs. I wasn't hyped up, they weren't the end-all, be-all.
Marathon races do that -- you train strong, you have 2+ weeks of anticipation, you have the expectations. You can't avoid it, especially when others are there experiencing the same thing.
VCM will be great for you, because you don't have any hype. You trained well for a race earlier this month, and things didn't go as planned. You can run VCM with the simple thought of having a better day than IL. You can go to sleep the night before without any fanfare, and you can toe the line without coordinating with others. You get up, you eat, you know the paces you are set to run, you leave for the start.
No overthinking needed. Your legs know what to do, you don't have to anything other than shoot for those paces, just as you would a training run.
You're going to do great, because you know you can.
And I'll be secretly jealous of your fabulous success. (or not so secretly) :)
yikes. sorry it's so long. feel free to delete after reading!
we had essentially the exact conversation on sat!!
i think it will be good to focus solely on the race. any other energy/pressure/hype that would be reserved for meet ups (while really fun) will be channeled into your race.
in fact, i've decided to not run a goal race again at a meet up - meet ups in the future (if they continue to happen given i'll have a bbbbaaaby) will be purely for socializing purposes.
anyhow. i think its a combination of things for you and that you know yourself best. lots of yoga and focusing on work these next two weeks will hopefully help. trust your training. trust the plan. trust yourself.
i have never wanted someone to succeed at a marathon as badly as i do for you. know that there are TONS of people behind you who believe that you can do this - and you will!!
I have the same problem. My brain is my biggest enemy. Therefore, take this advice with the proverbial grain of salt.
Trust your training. Trust your preparation. You know as well as anyone that anything can happen on race day... and it often does.
Know that whatever does happen on race day does NOT diminish in any way what you've accomplished up to that point.
You are an AMAZING athlete and an inspiration to so many people, myself included. Remind yourself of that when your brain starts to play tricks on you.
We believe in you. Always.
I'm in full agreement with everyone's comments below. When it comes to marathon time, I make it all about ME. If a meetup doesn't fit with my schedule, it doesn't happen. There's ways that it happens and I don't mess with it.
When I did Chicago, I went with a boat load of people. I couldn't get into my place. VCM will be a good place to just be one with you.
Also, to comment on your previous post, I understand that mental exhaustion. I did 2 marathons in 6 weeks - it wasn't the physical body aspect, it was mental exhaustion after. All I will say, is give the necessary post marathon recovery so you don't fall into a funk like I did!
Good luck!
I also like to go back and pour over my training log. Look at the tough workouts you nailed despite also logging huge miles. During taper runs, I often visualize a great race, a strong finish, a PR. I let that get into my head and quash out any doubts. I also recall before my first couple of marathons I would worry because I very rarely had run MP. But a friend of mine said "trust in your training." And he was right. So I focus on that too.
Good luck!! I have no doubt you will have a great race!! And I am suddenly glad you did not sign up for Madison - it's going to be a HOT one here.
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