It’s time to bear down!
Many of our athletes right now are in the heat of their half and full marathon training plans. On top of the hard training, our weather is not doing us any favors. Every training cycle, it doesn’t matter how fit, experienced, or strong you are, you will be challenged. I have seen runners use this time as an opportunity to prepare for the mental struggles of their race and I have seen the opposite where runners let these feelings totally overrule them and ultimately defeat them.
To train to be a successful person at anything you do in your life you have to be consistent. A lot of times consistency doesn’t look like the prettiest option. Consistency requires a lot of doing the same or similar meticulous tasks over and over again. And what you are doing right now isn’t only helping you for your upcoming race but is helping you be prepared for that big break through event you will have in 5 years that you haven’t planned yet.
When we get into the battle of training, it’s easy to lose sight of our why. A lot of times people look for things to blame. Instead of celebrating fatigue or hard work, a runner’s mindset sometimes drifts into a negative place. There is nothing easy about training and there is nothing easy about truly challenging yourself. For the majority of people, they sign up for the race and commit to the training when they are removed from this heat of the training cycle mindset. It’s easier to look back well before or after a race and have energetic and motivated expectations.
I don’t fault any of my athletes for being frustrated, tired, hungry, etc. when we hit the hardest part of a training cycle. However, as cold as it may sound, I certainly don’t take pity on anyone either. When we choose to challenge ourselves we must understand that WE CHOSE to do this! We are the ones who will cross that finish line and be proud as hell of every ounce of sweat, blood, and tears it took along the way. The day you race will not be easy and when the race is made or broken is the time you have to be mentally strongest.
If you find yourself in a mental rut right now with your training, then, understand it’s normal. Instead of letting it get you down, remember that training safely through fatigue is helping you build the mental and physical strength you will need to run your best on race day. There are no guarantees when you train or race. However, there are lots of things we can control. When you toe the line this fall, I can almost guarantee you while you feel rested with fresh legs that you won’t regret any of the miles you chose to run during training. Keep your thoughts positive and view this hardship as an opportunity to get ahead of your mental weaknesses. You got this!
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