It's all in your head

Hi. It's Laura,

During both my longer runs this week, I nearly quit.

On Wednesday I had my last long run, 10 miles. I still have 6's & 7's to run but no more than that. If you recall, Wednesday was 100% humidity. How do I know it was 100%? Well, that would be because of the rain that started falling around mile 3. From my starting point, 3 miles is almost the farthest I can be from home. What's a little rain?

I have been really tired all week and throwing a 10 miler mid-week was not exactly helpful. My path of choice is the lower part of the park to the 102^nd Street crossover, twice. When you are going to run 10 miles, there is no need torture yourself even more by throwing in the Big Hill.

I got around the first 5 miles just fine. I do five all the time. I can do five backwards. I can do five blindfolded. I think you get the point. Drenched from sweat and rain, I begin running the second lap and my brain decided it had something to say: “I don't wanna go again, I'm tired , no one would know if you didn't go around”. “Shut up”, I say. We (me myself & I) go on. All through mile 6 and into mile 7, the brain just didn't want to go on. The brain goes on, “You can stop now and come back and finish later". “No”, I reply. “You don't need to run 10. This is only for the mini next week" the brain badgers. Again I reply “No!” “C’mon this takes too long. You have other things to do today" the brain tries.

I finally replied with an answer that made the brain shut up for good. ”Is this how you’re going to behave during the triathlon? Are you going to just quit because it’s hard or its takes too long?” I didn't hear from the brain again.

I did hear from the feet and the back though. Neither one of them were happy with 10 miles. During mile 8, the right foot started carrying on about pain in the arch. I understand that. So we stopped and retied the shoe for more support. That is when the back chimed in and said “Hey, hey, hey don't bend over like that. What's wrong with you?” I stood straight with the shoe retied and both the back and the foot quieted down.

During mile 9 (thank god we are almost done) the legs decided they had something to say and the knee was the loudest. “We cannot pick up the feet much longer. Are we almost done?" I tell them all “Yes we are almost done. Just hang in there a little longer”.

Mile 10! Phew. I learned one thing from this particularly hard run, there is no marathon in my future.

Today's 6 miler was similar to Wednesday's run except we didn’t hear from so many body parts, just one. That's right, the brain, at it again. Just around mile 3.5 brain says once again it’s tired and wants to stop. “Hey, why don't we just do 5 today?” The body kind of agrees as it’s tired too.

We compromise. The big loop is 6.1 miles and the bottom of the park is generally pretty crowded, do we really need to run that part? “Can’t we cut through by the ball fields and take off the .1 from the run in the park? After all, we still have .5 in town to get home.” I agreed with the brain and that is exactly what we did.

This is a shortcut I can live with. I did the designated miles and saved myself some aggravation by skipping the lower part which at that time of day is open to cars. A tough but successful run week.

The Brain is very powerful and can get you to do almost anything. Sometimes you have to stop listening to it and just do it because the brain is lazy. You are stronger and more capable than the brain allows you to think you are some days. Listen to your friends and family when they offer encouragement and not the brain. "He” only wants to sabotage you.

Something to think about.

Enjoy the weekend.

Play hard!

Laura